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Page last updated at 16:18 GMT, Sunday, 12 June 2011 17:18 UK

Wakefield 13-10 Huddersfield

Wakefield (10) 13
Tries: George Goals: Moore 4 Drop-goal: Moore

Huddersfield (0) 10
Tries: Lunt, Cording Goals: Cudjoe


Super League

Huddersfield missed the chance to go top of Super League as they fell to a shock defeat by lowly Wakefield.

Winger Luke George drew first blood with an early try for the home team before good kicking from Gareth Moore strengthened their grip on the game.

Huddersfield were shut out in the first half but finally got on the scoreboard when Shaun Lunt went over.

Jamie Cording grabbed the Giants' second try but an earlier drop goal by Moore proved the decisive score.

It was a result that represented a major missed opportunity for a woeful Giants outfit, who made several handling and tackling errors, which would ultimately prove their downfall.

With Warrington falling to an equally suprising defeat by Salford earlier in the afternoon Huddersfield had the chance to go two points clear at the top.

But they were without forwards David Faiumu and David Fa'logo who played for the Exiles against England on Friday.

Most crucially, they were without Wakefield old boy Danny Brough, as they look like being for the next two months.

And they could not summon the spirit needed to overcome a dogged Wildcats side, who belied their Super League position of second bottom with a determined performance.

Former Huddersfield winger George set them on their way, Moore kicking the conversion and adding two penalties to put the Wildcats 10-0 in front at the break.

Another penalty from Moore extended their lead and, although Lunt replied, Moore's drop goal settled matters, despite Cording's try setting up a nervy finale.

POST-MATCH VERDICT

Wakefield coach John Kear:

"Obviously Danny Brough's a big miss. We can't kid ourselves he isn't. But we can only play our fit players and Tommy Lee pulled out at the last minute with a hamstring injury so Matty Wildie found himself called up and did really well.

"Huddersfield can only play their fit players and that's what we've done and our fit 17 beat their fit 17 today fair and square.

"Perhaps Huddersfield will feel they weren't at their best but we certainly challenged them in every area; physically, defensively, ball in hand and with the kicking game and we played the conditions pretty well."

Huddersfield coach Nathan Brown:

"We didn't deserve to win. If we'd scored late, it would have been an injustice to 'Keary' and Wakefield.

"We had lots of players who didn't play who were genuinely injured. We put a side out there today that, on talent, was better than the opposition but the opposition wanted to win more than we did and they just played much, much smarter.

"The bonus of today is it's not going to be too hard to pick next week's team. Normally you have sleepless nights over who you're going to pick when everyone's fit but I won't have that problem this week."

TEAMS

Wakefield: Tony; Morton, George, Murphy, Griffin; Moore, Smith; Korkidas, Davey, Amor, Mariano, P Johnson, Morrison.

Replacements: Hickey, Wildie, Higgins, Henderson.

Huddersfield: Cudjoe; McGillvary, Wardle, Lawrence, Hodgson; Brown, Wood; Crabtree, Lunt, Raleigh, Gilmour, Kirmond, Cording.

Replacements: Robinson, Mason, Horne, Patrick.

Attendance: 5,436.

Referee: Thierry Alibert (France).



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see also
Huddersfield 40-18 Castleford
05 Jun 11 |  Rugby League
Salford 34-12 Wakefield
03 Jun 11 |  Rugby League
Huddersfield 34-10 Wakefield
03 Apr 11 |  Rugby League
Rugby League on the BBC
15 Oct 10 |  Rugby League
Rugby league commentaries
03 Apr 10 |  Rugby League


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