Giants put boot into Bulls

Huddersfield captain Chris Thorman kicked an injury-time drop goal to earn the Giants a thrilling 25-24 victory over Bradford.

Thorman's one-pointer gave the hosts just their second win in five games but a draw was probably a fair result after a dramatic derby clash.

Veteran Bradford stand-off Iestyn Harris kept his nerve to land a 78th-minute penalty to level the scores but Thorman was not to be denied.

There was time for a controversial ending when the hooter sounded, as Bradford were preparing for a scrum and centre Paul Sykes was shown the red card after the final whistle for words he said to referee Steve Ganson.

Ganson had earlier sent four players - two from each side - to the sin bin and placed three Bradford men on report in a feisty contest.

Huddersfield trailed 22-12 after an hour but staged a thrilling revival in which Australian winger Rod Jensen scored his second try of the match to give his side renewed hope.

Perfect

Full-back Michael Platt gave the Bulls the perfect start when he jinked his way over for a solo try on four minutes but the home side went in front two minutes later when Jensen intercepted Harris' pass to scoot 40 metres for his first two for two months.

Bradford hooker Terry Newton supported a break by Ben Jeffries to score a try and then missed a sitter by spilling Simon Finnigan's pass with the Huddersfield line once more wide open.

The home side were reduced to 11 men for a short spell after full-back Leroy Cudjoe and hooker Ryan Hudson were both sin-binned for professional fouls.

The Bulls made their numerical advantage tell when prop Andy Lynch forced his way over for a third try on 27 minutes and Harris' second goal made it 16-6, but prop Paul Jackson gave Huddersfield renewed hope when he supported a break by lively substitute Danny Kirmond to grab a try just before the interval.

Tonic

It was just the tonic for the Giants, who dominated play in the second half.

Second rower Andy Raleigh looked a certain scorer until Chris Nero pulled off a superb last-ditch tackle inches short of the line.

Winger James Evans was sin-binned for delaying the subsequent play-the-ball but Bradford extended their lead, albeit against the run of play, when Finnigan made the most of a kind bounce from Jeffries' kick to score their fourth try.

Jeffries became the fourth player to be yellow-carded on 52 minutes for dissent and Thorman marked his return from an ankle injury with a 65th-minute try that set up the exciting finish.

Darrell Griffin was inches away from touching down Thorman's kick to the line but Huddersfield eventually scored when Stephen Wild and Paul Whatuira combined to get Jensen over.

Thorman added the goal to put the Giants ahead, Harris levelled but the drop-goal further damaged the struggling Bulls' play-off hopes.