Huddersfield Giants v Saints
Result
Coral Challenge Cup - sixth round
12/05/19 - 18:05
Official: Simon Mikalauskas
Saints secure Quarter Final place after hard fought Giants win
Saints progressed to the quarter final of the Coral Challenge Cup after a hard-fought 22-16 victory over a dogged Huddersfield Giants at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Saints went ahead after a Regan Grace try before Joe Wardle and Aaron Murphy gave the Giants the lead with tries either side of a Lachlan Coote penalty. Saints went into the break ahead though following a try from Theo Fages. Coote extended Saints lead early in the second half, before Giants hit back within minutes with Wardle’s second try leveling the game at 16-16. It was left to Kevin Naiqama to score the winning try late on which booked Saints a place in the Challenge Cup quarter final where we will face Wakefield Trinity at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
A fast paced start from Saints in this 6th round Challenge Cup tie saw Huddersfield on the back foot early on. Saints turned that pressure into points in the 12th minute after a cut out pass from Coote found Grace out wide and he touched down in the corner.
The Giants hit back within minutes mind after a penalty put the Giants in prime position, before Wardle burst through a gap to score under the posts. Lee Gaskell added the two giving Huddersfield a 6-4 lead with 20 minutes played.
Saints won successive penalties through Grace and Alex Walmsley and Coote took the two from in front of the posts to level the game at 6-6.
The hosts regained the lead after a flowing move on their right edge allowed Louis Senior to offload to Murphy to score. Gaskell was unable to add the extras, but the Giants led 10-6.
Saints thought they had scored late on in the first half, but Fages was tackled metres away from the line on the last. But the little Frenchman wasn’t to be denied moments later as he latched onto a beautiful grubber kick through from Grace to score. Coote kicked the conversion giving Saints a 12-10 lead at half time.
The second half started with the defences on top as both sides exchanged sets. It took until the 52nd minute for the opening try of the second half and it came for Saints after Tommy Makinson knocked down a Fages kick for Coote to slide over in the corner. Coote was unable to add the extras, but Saints led 10-16.
The game was brought back level minutes later after Huddersfield earned repeat sets and took full advantage when Wardle steeped back inside the covering Saints defenders to power his way over to defenders to score under the sticks leveling the game at 16-16 with 20 minutes remaining.
Saints were in again though on the very next set after a high kick from Fages was knocked backwards from Makinson. The ball struck Matty Lees on the knee and Naiqama was first to the loose ball to score giving Saints an 22-16 lead with 62 minutes played.
Coote had a chance to wrap the game up with a penalty kick 10 minutes from time, but his effort drifted wide before Saints had to stand firm in the final 10 minutes as Huddersfield through everything forward in the hope of a last gasp try.
But as it has so often this season, Saints’ defence stood up to the challenge, kept the Giants out and came away from the John Smith’s Stadium with a 22-16 victory, booking our place in the last eight of the Coral Challenge Cup.
Match Summary
Huddersfield Giants: McIntosh, Senior, Turner, Murphy, Senior, Gaskell, Frawley, English, O’Brien, Matagi, Wardle, Mellor, Clough.
Interchanges: Leeming, Roberts, Hewitt, Ta’ai.
Tries: Wardle (16,58), Murphy (30)
Goals: Gaskell 2 from 3
St Helens: Coote; Makinson, Naiqama, Costello, Grace; Lomax, Fages, Lees, Roby, Walmsley, Peyroux, Taia, Knowles.
Interchanges: Paulo, Amor, Ashworth, Smith.
Tries: Grace (12) Fages (35) Coote (52) Naiqama (61)
Goals: Coote 2 from 4
Penalties: Coote 1 from 2
Referee: Simon Mikalauskas
HT: 10-12
FT: 16-22
ATT: TBC
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Saints Line up
1 | Lachlan Coote |
---|---|
2 | Tommy Makinson |
3 | Kevin Naiqama |
21 | Matthew Costello |
5 | Regan Grace |
7 | Theo Fages |
6 | Jonny Lomax |
8 | Alex Walmsley |
James Roby | |
10 | Matty Lees |
11 | Zeb Taia |
12 | Dominique Peyroux |
13 | Morgan Knowles |
18 | Joseph Paulo |
18 | Kyle Amor |
17 | Jack Ashworth |
19 | Aaron Smith |
Huddersfield Giants Line up
1 | Darnell McIntosh |
---|---|
2 | Louis Senior |
3 | Jordan Turner |
4 | Aaron Murphy |
5 | Innes Senior |
6 | Lee Gaskell |
7 | Matt Frawley |
8 | Matty English |
9 | Adam O'Brien |
10 | Suaia Matagi |
11 | Joe Wardle |
12 | Alex Mellor |
13 | Paul Clough |
14 | Kruise Leeming |
15 | Oliver Roberts |
16 | Sam Hewitt |
17 | Ukuma Ta'ai |
Last updated 12 May 19 20:01:05
The Giants throw the ball around looking for that final bit of space, but Saints hold firm and Knowles again leaps onto the ball. That should be that!
GIANTS 16-22 SAINTS ?⚪
Knowles wins the ball back in the Giants half as we approach the final few minutes, but Paulo is held up on the last and the Giants have one more chance…
GIANTS 16-22 SAINTS ?⚪
Naiqama with another crunching tackle on Turner this time, forces the knock on! Kev has had another fine game.
GIANTS 16-22 SAINTS ?⚪
Fages grubber is well collected by McIntosh and the Giants see out their set before Taia breaks free, but knocked on with the line at his mercy.
GIANTS 16-22 SAINTS ?⚪
Coote’s kick drifts wide, but Matty Costello traps Murphy in goal and we have another set of six here!
GIANTS 16-22 SAINTS ?⚪
Saints win a penalty after Makinson is taken out in the air and Coote will take a tricky two from the right of the sticks. This is not easy…
GIANTS 16-22 SAINTS ?⚪
Coooooote kicks the two from the right hand side. Get in!
GIANTS 16-22 SAINTS ?⚪
The video referee says TRY TIME! Fages’ high kick is knocked back by Makinson, the ball strikes Matty Lees on the knee and Naiqama is there to touch down!!!
GIANTS 16-20 SAINTS ?⚪
Gaskell kicks the two and we are all square.
GIANTS 16-16 SAINTS ?⚪
The Giants respond through Wardle. Taia puts in a try saving tackle, but from the resulting play Wardle grabs his second of the game powering through two Saints defenders.
GIANTS 14-16 SAINTS ?⚪
From the resulting kick off Makinson powers his way through the Giants line and the Giants are saved by McIntosh. The play results in Coote going for a drop goal, but he miss-kicks.
GIANTS 10-16 SAINTS ?⚪
Coote’s touchline kick falls narrowly short.
GIANTS 10-16 SAINTS ?⚪
YESSSSS! And there is that bit of Challenge Cup magic from Coooooooooote who pounces on Makinson’s knock down to crash over in the corner!!
?️ “He’s the reason” sing the Saints fans ?
GIANTS 10-16 SAINTS ?⚪
And Makinson so nearly scores a worldy in the corner, but Naiqama’s offload from the floor is deemed forward by the touch judge. That would have been some try!
GIANTS 10-12 SAINTS ?⚪
Tommy Mak forces the turnover after a great defensive set from Saints, before Makinson then wins a penalty!
GIANTS 10-12 SAINTS ?⚪
Giants win a penalty now and kick to touch. Time to defend, boys!
GIANTS 10-12 SAINTS ?⚪
Taia loses the ball on the last and the Giants survive. We are just missing a bit of Challenge Cup magic in the final third! COYS!
GIANTS 10-12 SAINTS ?⚪
Naiqama wins an early penalty for Saints and Coote kicks for touch. A chance here!
GIANTS 10-12 SAINTS ?⚪
Coote kicks us back off in this second period. COYS! ?⚪
GIANTS 10-12 SAINTS ?⚪
Fages looks to pass the ball out wide to Makinson on the last, but the ball is knocked on and the Giants survive as we head into half-time here at the John Smith’s Stadium.
GIANTS 10-12 SAINTS ?⚪
Coooooooote does the rest as the Saints fans find their voice!
GIANTS 10-12 SAINTS ?⚪
But he isn’t to be denied this time as the little Frenchman latches onto a beautiful grubber kick from the left flank from Grace to touch down. Game on!
GIANTS 10-10 SAINTS ?⚪
Fages goes for the line, but is tackled on the last and it’s the turnover. Come on boys!
GIANTS 10-6 SAINTS ?⚪
Gaskell misses the touchline kick.
GIANTS 10-6 SAINTS ?⚪
Aaron Murphy powers over in the corner following a Louis Senior offload and the Giants lead.
GIANTS 10-6 SAINTS ?⚪
But Makinson is unable to pick up the pass out wide and the ball finds touch.
GIANTS 6-6 SAINTS ?⚪
McIntosh knocks on Coote’s high bomb and Saints have a chance to take the lead with a set of six in the Giants half.
GIANTS 6-6 SAINTS ?⚪
Coooooooote kicks it and we are all square!
GIANTS 6-6 SAINTS ?⚪
Saints win successive penalties through Grace and Big Al and Coooooote will take the two from in front of the posts to level this one up.
GIANTS 6-4 SAINTS ?⚪
Gaskell kicks the extras.
GIANTS 6-4 SAINTS ?⚪
Big Al is penalised in the tackle and from the second play the ball Joe Wardle scores under the posts.
GIANTS 4-4 SAINTS ?⚪
Coote narrowly misses the touchline kick, but we lead early here!
GIANTS 0-4 SAINTS ?⚪
Regan Grace is in at the corner after a cut-out pass from Cooooote after a repeat set in front of the Giants line! Get in! Touchline kick to come…
GIANTS 0-4 SAINTS ?⚪
Cooooooote’s grubber kick on the last is caught well by Louis Senior and the Giants survive.
GIANTS 0-0 SAINTS ?⚪
Jonny Lomax is down after being caught late by big Suaia Matagi and Saints have a penalty following the late tackle.
GIANTS 0-0 SAINTS ?⚪
Giants have the scrum on half-way, but Darnell McIntosh throws his pass into touch and now Saints have the scrum in our own half. Come on boys!
GIANTS 0-0 SAINTS ?⚪
Kev Naiqama makes a break down the right flank, but Dom Peyroux is deemed to be in touch when playing the ball as the Giants survive an early Saints attack.
GIANTS 0-0 SAINTS ?⚪