MAGIC was anything but for Saints as they went down 48-20 to Huddersfield in Newcastle.
The Giants ran in eight tries as Keiron Cunningham’s men failed to build on a positive start.
They found themselves 16-0 down before Matty Dawson went in for his seventh of the season.
But the second half went away from them – despite some nice tries – to continue their frustratingly inconsistent form.
What was to come was surprising considering how the men from Langtree Park started.
In fact, they were probably unlucky not be ahead before the Giants took their chances.
Lama Tasi went within inches before Jermaine McGillvary opened the scoring.
Ukuma Ta’ai then punished an error at the play the ball and Jamie Ellis crossed for 16-0.
Saints worked hard to get back into the game and finally took a chance when Adam Swift showed good hands for Matty Dawson to cross.
Luke Walsh adding a very important conversion that made it a ten point game at half time.
Within seconds of the second half though, that gap was back at 16 points.
McGillvary crossed for his second after some intricate play but the officials missed a very forward pass in the build up.
Sam Rapira compounded the misery in the 50th minute before Aaron Murphy scored from a loose pass that came off the boot of Jake Connor.
Good hands from Saints saw Jack Owens score his first in the red vee on the hour mark – before a high Walsh bomb forced Scott Grix to knock on … and Fages to dive to the left of the posts.
Brough checked the comeback with a penalty in the 67th minute but Saints replied with a try out of the top drawer.
It went touchline to touchline on the last tackle, Owens coming off one side to feed Kyle Amor who found Theo Fages.
The young stand-off then backed himself, rounded his man and put Swift over in the corner.
It might have been a mere consolation in the scheme of things, it showed this side possesses a great amount of skill when they back themselves.
Saints were always playing catch up though – and Ryan Hinchcliffe and Kyle Wood capped off the Giants’ performance with a tries in the final stages.
Match Summary:
Saints:
Tries: Dawson, Owens, Fages, Swift
Goals: Walsh (2 from 4)
Giants:
Tries: McGillvary (2), Taai, Ellis, Rapira, Murphy, Hinchcliffe, Wood
Goals: Brough (8 from 9)
Penalties:
Saints: 3
Giants: 6
HT: 6-16
FT: 20-48
REF: B Thaler
ATT: TBC
Teams:
Saints:
23. Shannon McDonnell; 22. Jack Owens, 30. Calvin Wellington, 21. Matty Dawson, 5. Adam Swift; 19. Theo Fages, 7. Luke Walsh; 14. Lama Tasi, 9. James Roby, 10. Kyle Amor, 12. Jon Wilkin, 11. Atelea Vea, 13. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook.
Subs: 3. Jordan Turner, 8. Alex Walmsley, 16. Andre Savelio, 28. Morgan Knowles.
Giants:
1. Scott Grix; 2. Jermaine McGillvary, 3. Leroy Cudjoe, 18. Jake Connor, 5. Aaron Murphy; 6. Danny Brough, 7. Jamie Ellis; 8. Eorl Crabtree, 9. Ryan Hinchcliffe, 21. Nathan Mason, 4. Joe Wardle, 17. Ukuma Taai, 12. Michael Lawrence.
Subs: 15. Kyle Wood, 16. Sam Rapira, 22. Oliver Roberts, 36. Sebastine Ikahihifo.
