Huddersfield Giants 26-20 Leeds Rhinos

Huddersfield Giants (12) 26
Tries: Lunt, Gilmour, Patrick, Aspinwall Goals: Cudjoe 5

Leeds Rhinos (18) 20
Tries: Burrow, McGuire, Hall Goals: Burrow 4

Makeshift full-back Leroy Cudjoe kicked five goals for the Giants

Leeds slumped to a fourth defeat in seven games as they lost the West Yorkshire derby to Huddersfield Giants.

After being hit by two early Giants tries in as many minutes from Shaun Lunt and Lee Gilmour, the Rhinos roared back to lead 18-12 at the break.

Tries from Rob Burrow, Danny McGuire and Ryan Hall turned the game around.

But, after Leeds lost sin-binned substitute Ali Lauitiiti, the Giants bounced back to win with tries from Larne Patrick and Martin Aspinwall.

Leroy Cudjoe extended the home side's lead with a crucial late penalty - his fifth kick of the afternoon.

Deputising for injured skipper Brett Hodgson, the makeshift full-back kicked the goal following Luke Burgess's high tackle on David Fa'alogo four minutes from time.

And that completed a fourth league win of the season for Huddersfield, who finished third last term, and have now moved up in the same position again - just two points behind leaders Wigan.

To add to Leeds' woes, the reigning champions, who have already lost Scott Donald and Greg Eastwood this season with long-term injuries and were still without skipper Kevin Sinfield, suffered another blow.

Teenage winger Kallum Watkins was carried off after just 15 minutes.

The Giants also suffered an early injury blow when centre Michael Lawrence was carried off after landing badly following a tackle. But that did not stop them romping into a 12-0 lead.

Kiwi Fa'alogo broke down the middle before passing to the oncoming Lunt, who dashed away for his fourth try of the season.

Then, just three minutes later, the Leeds defence were caught cold when Cudjoe's kick-through evaded their entire back line and Gilmour pounced to score in the left corner.

Leeds hit back with a long spell of pressure which finally told when Ian Kirke put Rob Burrow through.

And Huddersfield's usually tight defence then went to sleep, allowing Leeds to take the lead with two converted solo tries within 60 seconds just before half-time.

McGuire raced through down the right flank before Hall took advantage of poor defending on the same wing.

Burrow added the extras to leave Leeds with an 18-12 half-time lead.

Both sides were reduced to 12 men early in the second half when Andy Raleigh was sin-binned along with Lauitiiti for their roles in a brawl near the Giants' try line.

Referee Richard Silverwood awarded Leeds a penalty for the initial foul by Raleigh, which Burrow duly despatched.

But Huddersfield were quickly back in the contest when Patrick dived over under the posts for a converted try which set up the Giants for a grandstand finish.

And Aspinwall's converted try and Cudjoe's late penalty sealed only a second win for Huddersfield over Leeds in 25 attempts in the Super League era.

Huddersfield Giants coach Nathan Brown:

"We definitely would not have won this game last season. The players responded very well to the physical challenge.

"We've added a few players to the squad. David Fa'alogo is world class, and he showed it today. Lee Gilmour is also a quality player who was on form.

"Losing Michael Lawrence is a blow. We think it's a serious ankle injury, and he could be out for a long time. We've played six games this season, and in five of them we've suffered a bad injury. It's very frustrating."

Leeds coach Brian McClennan:

"Super League is going to be a lot tighter this year. Huddersfield are one of several teams who have improved, and I'm sure they'll be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

"We started slowly, then got on top by half-time. But, in the second half, we rarely looked a threat, and Huddersfield won quite easily in the end.

"Jamie Peacock was one of the few to be consistent. He really burst through the tackles for us. But not enough of the others did that."

Huddersfield: Cudjoe, Lolesi, Lawrence, Wild, D Hodgson, Brown, Robinson, D Griffin, Lunt, Raleigh, Gilmour, Fa'alogo, Aspinwall.
Replacements: Faiumu, Crabtree, Grix, Patrick.

Leeds: Webb, Hall, Delaney, Senior, Watkins, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Buderus, Bailey, Peacock, Kirke, Jones-Buchanan.
Replacements: Pitts, Burgess, Lauitiiti, Diskin.

Att: 10,116

Ref: Richard Silverwood (Dewsbury).