HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 10 WAKEFIELD TRINITY 46
ROB WALLACE, Accu Stadium, Friday
HUDDERSFIELD failed to celebrate Leroy Cudjoe as a Mason Lino-inspired Wakefield came away with a comfortable victory at the newly-named Accu Stadium.
Max Jowitt also starred, scoring one and converting the first seven of Trinity’s eight tries, while Jayden Myers scored his first two Super League tries on just his third appearance.
The first saw him leap for a Lino high kick, while excellent footwork fooled two defenders for the other.
The Giants rang the changes following a 30-10 defeat to Wigan last weekend as George Flanagan, Joe Greenwood and Sam Hewitt dropped out of the 17 and Niall Evalds made his long-awaited return.
But it made little difference as their wait for a first home win of the season continues, and a night dedicated to Cudjoe – who made his 400th career appearance against Wigan – turned sour.
The visitors were looking to bounce back from the 16-10 defeat to Hull FC with Jowitt moving back to his favoured fullback spot and Jake Trueman returning to the halves after injury.
Huddersfield opened the scoring in the fifth minute on the back of a repeat set. Smart play from Taane Milne drew in the defence and he offloaded to give Jacob Gagai a walk-in to score in the corner. Tui Lolohea’s conversion was wide of the mark, and that was as good as it got for the home side.
Wakfield came back into the game in the 17th minute, a high kick from Trueman seeing Myers outjump the Huddersfield defenders to collect the ball and dive over.
Jowitt’s goal gave them a lead which was extended two minutes later, Myers breaking down the left wing to set up field position for Lino to send the ball to the right and into the hands of Lachlan Walmsley who raced into the corner.
Wakefield were refusing to let Huddersfield touch the ball and a penalty gifted field position to Trinity before a flat ball to Mike McMeeken in front of the posts saw the England forward touch down unopposed to the left of the posts.
Twelve minutes before the break, Lino found Corey Hall in acres of space and the Trinity centre darted away to stand up a defender before charging for the line and touching down in the right corner.
There was time before the break for Trinity to score again, the ball sent to the left before Myers stepped and danced his way to the line for his second score of the game.
Jowitt added the conversion from the touchline as the score moved to 4-30 at half-time.
Huddersfield started the second half by kicking the ball out on the full but recovered to open the scoring. Smart play from Matt Frawley and Sam Halsall sent Adam Swift over in the left corner and Lolohea added the conversion.
Normal service resumed 14 minutes into the second half, Lino’s grubber to the in-goal pounced on by the chasing Jowitt who then converted to re-establish the 26-point lead.
Cameron Scott stepped and raced his way to the line to the left of the posts on the hour following some off-the-cuff play from Trinity.
With five minutes remaining Jowitt and Hall combined to break downfield and when Swift eventually halted the counter, Lino and McMeeken spread the ball to the left and Josh Griffin charged over to score in the corner.
GAMESTAR: Mason Lino had a hand in all of Wakefield’s first four tries as they came from behind to lead 24-4.
GAMEBREAKER: Four tries in eleven first-half minutes saw Wakefield create an unassailable lead.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Jayden Myers soaring to collect and touch down from Mason Lino’s high bomb was a great piece of play.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Mason Lino (Wakefield)
2 pts Jayden Myers (Wakefield)
1 pt Mike McMeeken (Wakefield)
MATCHFACTS
GIANTS
26 Niall Evalds
1 Jacob Gagai
5 Sam Halsall
23 Taane Milne
2 Adam Swift
6 Tui Lolohea
35 Matt Frawley
22 Tristan Powell
9 Zac Woolford
10 Tom Burgess
13 Harry Rushton
3 Jake Bibby
21 Leroy Cudjoe
Subs (all used)
14 Ashton Golding
15 Matty English
16 George King
27 Kieran Rush
18th man (not used)
25 Jack Billington
Also in 21-man squad
20 Elliot Wallis
29 George Flanagan
30 Jack Bibby
Tries: Gagai (5), Swift (47)
Goals: Lolohea 1/2
TRINITY
1 Max Jowitt
30 Jayden Myers
3 Cameron Scott
4 Corey Hall
2 Lachlan Walmsley
6 Jake Trueman
20 Mason Lino
8 Mike McMeeken
9 Liam Hood
31 Caius Faatili
17 Matty Storton
12 Josh Griffin
13 Jay Pitts
Subs (all used)
28 Harvey Smith
15 Caleb Hamlin-Uele
18 Isaiah Vagana
16 Renouf Atoni
18th man (not used)
23 Josh Rourke
Also in 21-man squad
11 Seth Nikotemo
14 Thomas Doyle
35 Ellis Lingard
Tries: Myers (17, 35), Walmsley (19), McMeeken (23), Hall (28), Jowitt (54), Scott (61), Griffin (75)
Goals: Jowitt 7/8
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-6, 4-12, 4-18, 4-24, 4-30; 10-30, 10-36, 10-42, 10-46
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Giants: Adam Swift; Trinity: Mason Lino
Penalty count: 2-3
Half-time: 4-30
Referee: Aaron Moore
Attendance: 5,145