Huddersfield: (12) 24
Tries: S Wild, P Reilly, J Lolesi 2
Goals: C Thorman 4

Wakefield: (20) 22
Tries: P White, J Demetriou 2
Goals: J Rooney 5

Huddersfield edged a Galpharm Stadium thriller to seal their first appearance in the Super League play-offs.

Jon Sharp's men had to retrieve a 22-12 deficit to secure a ninth consecutive win over Wakefield.

The visitors had try scorers in Paul White and Jason Demetriou (2), plus five goals from Jamie Rooney.

But scores from Stephen Wild, Paul Reilly and Jamaal Lolesi (2), plus Chris Thorman's four goals were enough for the Giants to clinch victory.

It was a sixth win from their last seven matches for Huddersfield, who completed a remarkable transformation from being firm relegation favourites back in April, when they lost their opening seven games.

But Wakefield stand-off Rooney actually thought he had snatched victory 11 minutes from the end when he chased Paul March's grubber kick to the line but narrowly failed to control the touchdown.

Rooney also had an early try disallowed for obstruction but the Wildcats took the lead when former Huddersfield winger White intercepted Drew's pass and went 90 metres for the game's first try.

Rooney added the conversion and stretched his side's lead to 8-0 with a penalty.

Huddersfield's long-serving Reilly, who like Drew is joining the Wildcats next season, opened the home side's scoring on 18 minutes when he jinked over at the corner.

The Giants hit the lead for the first time 10 minutes before half-time when centre Lolesi finished superbly for the first of his brace after the Wakefield defence was opened up by Drew's clever pass.

Thorman's second goal put Huddersfield 12-8 ahead but the game was turned on its head with a quickfire brace of tries from Wakefield captain Demetriou.

First he supported a break by Kevin Henderson and dummied his way through for his first and then ran onto a short pass from former Huddersfield hooker March for his second.

Rooney's fourth goal from as many attempts gave the Wildcats a 20-12 interval lead and he extended it to 10 points with a long-range penalty shortly after the re-start.

But Huddersfield piled on the pressure in the second half and it paid off with two tries in a crucial five-minute spell.

Drew first combined with Robbie Paul to get Lolesi over for his second try and then joined forces with substitute Steve Snitch to put in Wild.

Thorman's fourth goal put his side back in front but the game could have gone either way as fortunes swung wildly in a pulsating finish.

Rooney went close at one end and then Paul dummied his way over at the other from acting half-back - only for video referee Ashley Klein to rule he lost control of the ball.

"We're happy to be there from the dark days of rounds one to seven. It didn't look too encouraging for us then.

"But our form was good during those seven performances and since then only St Helens have a better record than us. We're extremely proud of that fact."

"It's been the nemesis of Huddersfield that has cost us this season. We've not managed to beat them once.

"If we could have taken a couple of wins, it'd have been us in the top six and Huddersfield seventh or eighth."

Huddersfield: Thorman, Jensen, Nero, Lolesi, Reilly, Brown, Drew, Mason, Hudson, Skandalis, Jones, Raleigh, Wild. Replacements: Paul, Crabtree, Jackson, Snitch.

Wakefield: Blaymire, White, Atkins, Demetriou, Fox, Rooney,Jeffries, Watene, Obst, Bibey, MacGillivray, Golden, Ferres. Replacements: P. March, Catic, Henderson, Gleeson.

Referee: S Ganson (St Helens)