WIGAN WARRIORS 16 HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 34
DAVID KUZIO, The Brick Community Stadium, Saturday

HUDDERSFIELD did not play like a team low on confidence as they stunned Wigan for their first win of the season.

In the week after Luke Robinson was dismissed as coach, with Liam Finn taking the reins on an interim basis, the Giants played with freedom – helped significantly by the return of Niall Evalds and Adam Clune from injury – to inflict the Warriors’ first loss of the year.

It was also a memorable affair with Tara Jones blowing the whistle – the first woman to take charge of a Super League match.

The Giants took the game to Wigan right from the start with George King going close, although it took 20 minutes for the breakthrough to be made.

Wigan thought they had scored the first points when Harry Smith kicked into the arms of Liam Farrell, but the forward was in front of Smith when he caught the ball and the try was ruled out.

Noah Hodkinson came up with an outstanding try-saving tackle on Clune, who collected his own kick through only for the young fullback to turn him in the tackle and, with the help of Zach Eckersley and Brad O’Neill, prevent him from touching down.

But Wigan’s line was breached when Zac Woolford went left and offloaded to Clune, who fed Evalds to send a short ball for Jacob Gagai to break through some poor defending and score.

Tanguy Zenon failed to convert but the Warriors were all over the place and were grateful to Hodkinson for another vital intervention to deny Jacob Douglas a try.

Huddersfield’s second score instead came via the video referee. They needed a captain’s challenge to prove that Zenon had grounded the ball, despite Wigan arguing that Farrell was obstructed in the build-up.

Zenon converted to put Huddersfield ten points ahead, and that was 16 soon after. The ball fell to Evalds after Adam Keighran attempted an interception and the fullback just ghosted through to score.

Wigan got on the scoresheet on the stroke of half-time as Jack Farrimond, Sam Walters and Keighran combined before Eckersley acrobatically touched down in the corner.

Keighran was off target with the conversion attempt and they trailed 16-4 at the break.

The visitors were just as good in the second half and extended their lead nine minutes in as Douglas, making his debut on loan from St Helens, scored against the club he left at the end of last year.

Hodkinson allowed a bomb to bounce, the Giants regathered and Tom Burgess sent out a looping pass for the winger to score.

Huddersfield secured victory with 25 minutes remaining as Connor Wrench, the former Warrington man recently out of retirement, marked his own club debut with a try.

He evaded a poor tackle attempt from Nsemba to touch down, Zenon converted and the visitors were out of sight at 26-4.

Wigan reduced that deficit with Farrimond scoring after a kick from Smith was not dealt with by the Giants defence. Smith’s conversion made the gap 16 points again.

But hopes of a Wigan comeback ended in the 64th minute as Douglas raced down the wing and offloaded to Gagai, who then sent Clune racing away to score.

Zenon converted and added a penalty to seal a deserved win, despite Farrell getting a late consolation for Wigan.

GAMESTAR: Adam Clune was outstanding for Huddersfield. He controlled everything for the Giants and was rewarded with a try in the second half.

GAMEBREAKER: Huddersfield’s second try after the break from Connor Wrench ensured there was no chance of Wigan coming back.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Noah Hodkinson’s two try-saving tackles were impressive, but the way Tom Burgess was found out wide and his offload for Jacob Douglas’ try was sublime.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Adam Clune (Huddersfield)
2 pts Niall Evalds (Huddersfield)
1 pt Jacob Gagai (Huddersfield)

MATCHFACTS

WARRIORS
28 Noah Hodkinson
2 Zach Eckersley
3 Adam Keighran
12 Liam Farrell
5 Liam Marshall
19 Jack Farrimond
7 Harry Smith
8 Ethan Havard
9 Brad O’Neill
10 Luke Thompson
11 Junior Nsemba
14 Sam Walters
13 Kaide Ellis
Subs (all used)
15 Patrick Mago
17 Oliver Partington
20 Sam Eseh
25 Taylor Kerr
18th man (not used)
23 Kian McDermott
Also in 21-man squad
27 Lukas Mason
31 Jonny Vaughan
32 Dayon Sambou

Tries: Eckersley (39), Farrimond (58), Farrell (79)
Goals: Keighran 0/1, Smith 2/2

GIANTS
1 Niall Evalds
29 Tanguy Zenon
3 Jacob Gagai
34 Connor Wrench (D)
39 Jacob Douglas (D)
6 Tui Lolohea
7 Adam Clune
16 George King
9 Zac Woolford
14 Fenton Rogers
11 Asher O’Donnell
23 Chris Patolo
8 Tristan Powell
Subs (all used)
4 Taane Milne
10 Tom Burgess
18 Kieran Rush
20 Mathieu Cozza
18th man (not used)
22 Jack Billington
Also in 21-man squad
25 Jacob Algar
31 Alex Chippendale
32 Oliver Russell

Tries: Gagai (21), Zenon (29), Evalds (35), Douglas (50), Wrench (55), Clune (64)
Goals: Zenon 5/7

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-10, 0-16, 4-16; 4-20, 4-26, 10-26, 10-32, 10-34, 16-34

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Warriors: Noah Hodkinson; Giants: Adam Clune

Penalty count: 7-9
Half-time: 4-16
Referee: Tara Jones
Attendance: 15,611