Round 22
Huddersfield Giants 18 l. Warrington Wolves 19

2008 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Cudjoe hat-trick in vain as Wolves comeback to beat Giants
Sun July 20, 2008
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

A first-ever hat-trick of tries by Huddersfield Giants full-back Leroy Cudjoe was all in vain as Warrington Wolves came from 18-6 down to complete a hat-trick of engage Super League victories over the Giants.

Stand-off Lee Briers secured the Wolves' sixth win in seven matches under new coach James Lowes with a snap drop goal seven minutes from the end to make it 19-18, with Huddersfield captain Chris Thorman missing a chance to snatch a point.

The victory strengthens Warrington's play-off prospects while Huddersfield remain in 11th place after losing their first home game since Easter.

It had all looked so rosy for the Yorkshiremen after they dominated the first half, largely through the efforts of the 21-year-old Cudjoe, who had scored one try in his first 12 appearances for the club.

He gave the Giants a dream start when he won the race to Ryan Hudson's neat kick to the line to open the scoring on two minutes.

That followed a fumble by Warrington right winger Chris Riley and it was from another defensive error that Cudjoe scored his second try on 19 minutes.

Left winger Kevin Penny clashed with his full-back Chris Hicks in trying to diffuse a 'bomb' from Luke Robinson to give the home side a perfect attacking position which Thorman put to good use by sending Cudjoe over for his second.

Thorman added both conversions and Huddersfield, who gave a home debut to Great Britain winger David Hodgson and a first start to ex-Featherstone Rovers player Danny Kirmond, were good value for their 12-2 lead.

Warrington, who had Great Britain centre Martin Gleeson playing at loose forward, gradually worked their way back into the game and pulled a try back on the half-hour mark when Briers sent second rower Ben Westwood through a gap in the home defence.

Hicks, who had opened his side's account with a penalty, hit an upright with his conversion attempt and Huddersfield stretched their lead four minutes before the interval after a ball-steal by Stephen Wild relieved pressure on the home line.

Cudjoe burst through the first line of defence and held off a valiant last-ditch tackle by Matt King to complete his hat-trick, with Thorman adding his third goal.

Warrington launched their fightback five minutes into the second half when centre Simon Grix fended off the tackle of Wild to cross for a try and then Briers and Adrian Morley kept the ball alive for prop Paul Rauhihi to touch down.

Hicks added both conversions to tie the scores and Huddersfield's right-wing pair of Kevin Brown and Martin Aspinwall were both denied tries by video referee Ashley Klein as the game began to slip away from the home side.

The Giants needed a last-ditch tackle by Aspinwall to deny substitute Andy Bracek as the game built up to an exciting finish

Robinson lined up a drop-goal attempt in front of the Warrington posts only to knock the ball on but Briers had no difficulty maintaining his composure at the other end to land the all-important one-pointer.

Huddersfield had one last chance to claim a share of the spoils when Thorman got in position to drop a goal but his kick went narrowly wide.

Report Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Article: Lowes hails Wolves spirit

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