Huddersfield (6) 32 Tries: D Hodgson, Brown, Cudjoe, Lolesi, Lunt Goals: B Hodgson 6
Hull (18) 18 Tries: Turner, Manu, Yeaman Goals: Tickle 3  Skipper Brett Hodgson, who kicked six goals, inspired the Giants' comeback |
Huddersfield captain Brett Hodgson inspired his team to come back from 18-0 down to hammer Hull FC. Tries from Jordan Turner, Willie Manu and Kirk Yeaman in the first half hour set up what looked like being a certain away win for the Black and Whites. But Hull collapsed after full-back Hodgson began organising a fightback. The Giants ran in tries from David Hodgson, Kevin Brown, Leroy Cudjoe, Jamahl Lolesi and Shaun Lunt to maintain their play-off push. The visitors, going for a fifth straight Super League win, got off to the perfect start when full-back Jordan Tansey powered his way through the Huddersfield defence and kicked into the corner. Winger Richard Whiting collected and passed the ball on to Jordan Turner for a simple score. Tansey was also behind Hull's third try. The former Sydney Roosters star collected a Sean Long pass after 27 minutes and offloaded for Kirk Yeaman to race over unchallenged. Five minutes earlier Hull's Willie Manu took a quick roll-back from Tom Briscoe near the Huddersfield line and dived over. The Giants, who were missing six key players including Paul Whatuira and Eorl Crabtree, started their comeback early in the second half when Brett Hodgson put Kevin Brown in for a solo dash to the line. Winger Cudjoe clinically punished Tansey's mistake to drag the Giants level with a converted touchdown. Tansey spilled Danny Brough's high kick near his own line on 54 minutes and Cudjoe pounced to score. Giants' skipper Hodgson kicked the crucial penalty to put Huddersfield ahead for the first time on 64 minutes. Huddersfield never looked back after that, with Lolesi and Lunt further punishing a Hull side which seemed to run out of steam after their blistering first half.
Huddersfield coach Nathan Brown said: "There were no magic words at half-time. What we started doing in the second half was holding onto our field positions. That gave us a chance and it was something we didn't do in the first 15 minutes. "A lot of the problems that have seen us get beat by some good sides were also on display. We've got to cut the mistakes out. If we can do that there's a good chance we'll have something to celebrate at the end of the season. "When we started playing well we showed what we were capable of. To come back from 18-0 down to beat a team riding high in fourth place is no mean feat. We just need to find some consistency." Hull coach Richard Agar said: "There were some pretty lazy efforts out there from our big men. We got ourselves into a good position and then seemed to give up. "When we were doing the right things in the first half we looked a good side. But we then started making loose passes and conceding silly penalties. "When you keep doing that against a side like Huddersfield, that mountain of possession we've given up was going to take its toll eventually. "The key was our start to the second half. We didn't hold on to the first six of our sets of six and from then on we looked pretty bad."
Huddersfield: B Hodgson, Cudjoe, Lolesi, Lawrence, D Hodgson, Brown, Brough, Griffin, Robinson, Mason, Gilmour, Wild, Lunt. Replacements: Drew, Patrick, Faiumu, Horne. Hull: Tansey, Whiting, Turner, Yeaman, Briscoe, Washbrook, Long, Dowes, Houghton, Cusack, Tickle, Manu, Fitzgibbon. Replacements: Radford, Moa, Lauaki, Berrigan. Referee: James Child (Dewsbury).
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