Danny Brough kicked a dramatic match-wini drop goal against his old club as Wakefield emerged victorious from the derby against Huddersfield Giants.
MATCH DETAILS
Reece Lyne’s try in the fifteenth minute opened the scoring as the hosts started the brighter.
But, having made the assist for Lyne, Brough pulled the conversion wide of the posts and was subsequently punished as England winger Jermaine McGillvary crossed to level for the Giants just four minutes later.
Wakefield made far too many errors in the opening forty and were duly punished when the first of two Darnell McIntosh tries gave Huddersfield the lead, 4-10, just beyond the the half hour – an advantage they would hold onto as the half time hooter sounded.
In a very close encounter, much more even than many people expected after Trinity recorded resounding wins home and away against the Giants in 2018, scoring chances were few and far between. But, when they did arrive, they were taken.
David Fifita’s brilliant first try with fifteen to go gave Brough the chance to level with his boott – a feat that would have to be repeated mere moments after McIntosh’s second score of the match. Fifita’s sheer power was too much for the Huddersfield defence and the pressure was all on Brough’s shoulders against his former side.
Brough stepped up to comfortably make the conversion of what proved to be the last try of the game and, as the minutes ticked by, either side was capable of walking away from Belle Vue with the two points.
Having benefited so much from Brough’s near impeccable kicking in recent years, the Giants much have felt short-handed at times, but Oliver Russell is steadily making a name for himself with the boot.
Little over four minutes remained as Wakefield advanced towards the Giants’ line in a final bid to snatch victory. With no clear openings left or right, Trinity went down the middle and set Brough up for the perfect story-writing moment.
The ball was fed back to the veteran hooker and, like it was never in doubt (it wasn’t), the Man of the Match sent the ball flying between the sticks to ensure a fifth win in nine for Wakfield this season to strengthen their place in the top four, while Huddersfield remain 10th.
FOUR POINTERS
Wakefield know how to win
The face that a team can play nowhere near their best and still get the win is a very good sign. Far off the pace on Friday night, Wakefield made it very hard for themselves, but they dug in to ensure that they still managed to get the job done.
It was a missed opportunity for Huddersfield
A win at Belle Vue would have seen the Giants move level on points with their Yorkshire rivals, but they couldn’t make it happen. They had the opportunities, too. With Wakefield making mistake after mistake in the first half, they away side really should have applied more pressure and stretch their lead beyond one score.
Brough still has it
He might not have made a perfect start to his second stint at Wakefield, he didn’t even kick 100% in this one either, but Danny Brough’s importance to any side he plays for can never be overstated. There aren’t too many players who could make the sort of match-winning kick we saw on Friday night, but class is permanent.
Huddersfield will be fine
With the Million-Pound Game scrapped for 2019, direct relegation is now of course the new format for Super League’s lesser teams. But, despite a slow start to the season, Huddersfield certainly aren’t one of them. Once they get everyone back fit and if they keep playing the way they are at the moment, they’ll be perfectly safe.
THE RESULT
Wakefield Trinity 17
Tries: Lyne, Fifita
Goals: Brough (2)
Drop Goals:ย Brough
Huddersfield Giants
Tries: McGillvary, McIntosh (2)
Goals: Russell (2)
Drop Goals: n/a
SQUADS
Wakefield:ย Hampshire, Jones-Bishop, Lyne, Arundel, Ashurst, Miller, Brough, Fifita, Wood, Crowther, Pauli, Jowitt, Arona.
Interchanges:ย Hirst, King, Kopczak, Horo.
Huddersfield:ย McIntosh, McGillvary, Turner, Senior, Uate, Hewitt, Frawley, English, Leeming, Matagi, Russell, Mellor, Lawrence.
Interchanges:ย Ikahihifo, Roberts, O’Brien, Ta’ai.
Ref:ย Scott Mikalauskas (RFL).
