 The Ladbrokes Challenge Cup signified the suspension of Super League, but still pitted teams from the top flight in some interesting looking fixtures. The first of these was a Thursday night, all-Yorkshire, fixture between Huddersfield and Wakefield.
Just a fortnight ago these two sides met at the John Smith's where Wakefield did the double with a 10-2 win thanks to a solitary Danny Kirmond try after also being the victors back in March, then by a more convincing 36-22.
With league position counting for little, eleventh placed Giants had home advantage over sixth placed Wakefield, but could they upset league form and avenge the league double?
It was a calamitous opening play for the Giants when they knocked on from the kick off. Wakefield used three plays before David Fifita span over the line to score his first try in just his second outing for his new club. Liam Finn added the extras, and after two minutes the visitors were 6-0 ahead.
A Finn penalty on twelve extended the lead to 8-0 and within a minute Danny Brough was sin-binned after a swinging arm on Reece Lyne which saw the Wakefield centre helped off the field.
Down to twelve, and with their backs against the wall, the Giants conceded again on fourteen when Ben Jones-Bishop scored a spectacular diving try, grounding by the corner flag. Finn failed to convert, but it was going exactly to plan for Chris Chester's side.
On seventeen Eorl Crabtree held down in the tackle and Finn kicked another penalty, this one from directly in front of the sticks.
One minute later and the Giants opened their account when Scott Grix picked up a dropped ball to sprint forty metres to ground in the right corner. Jamie Ellis slipped the conversion attempt in front of the sticks.
On twenty-five a Brough offload, the Giants skipper just back on the pitch, found Jake Connor to score a spectacular try to rival that of Jones-Bishop's ten minutes earlier. Brough failed to add the conversion but the margin was just a solitary converted try at 14-8.
Eight seconds from the end of the half and Jake Connor almost scored his second spectacular try of the night but the video referee ruled it out after Mr Hewer called no try on the field.
The second half was just three minutes old when Tom Johnstone intercepted ten metres from his own line and went the length of the field to score under the sticks, giving Liam Finn a simple conversion to double the lead to 20-8.
On fifty-four, and after just having a try ruled out by the video referee, David Fifita scored his second of the night. His first ever brace was thanks to strength as he carried two Giants defenders with him. Finn added the extras and at 26-8 it was a long way back for Huddersfield.
But within a minute a nice passing move allowed Jermaine McGillvary to score, again in the corner, but Danny Brough failed to convert.
A sixty-seventh minute Finn penalty extended the lead to 28-12, the Giants still needing three converted tries.
On seventy-six McGillvary lost the ball over the line in the tackle with Jowitt, resulting in the ball going backwards to be collected by Simons to ground on the line but the video referee ruled out the try but a minute later and McGillvary got his second of the game. Jamie Ellis missed the conversion for a final score of 16-28.
The sides scored four tries each, but it was the boot of Liam Finn who progressed his side into the semi finals. Six goals from six attempts gave Wakefield a twelve point win in a game where the result never looked in any danger. The Giants were a disappointment and made far too many mistakes, gifting simple tries to the opposition.
Wakefield Trinity, the first side into the semi finals.
Giants: Grix (T), McGillvary (2T), Cudjoe, Wardle, Connor (T), Brough, Ellis, Crabtree, Hinchcliffe, Rapira, Symonds, Ta'ai, Lawrence. Subs: Murphy, Wood, Johnson, Mason.
Wildcats: Jowitt, Johnstone (T), Lyne, Tupou, Jones-Bishop (T), Miller, Finn (6G), Fifita (2T), Moore, England, Molloy, Ashurst, Sio. Subs: Arona, Anderson, Annakin, Walton.
Referee: Gareth Hewer.
Attendance: |
