Super League: Paul Anderson hails Giants' spirit; Tony Smith proud of Warrington
Last Updated: 29/08/14 12:38pm
Huddersfield coach Paul Anderson believes his side's battling 24-24 draw with bogey club Warrington demonstrates their genuine Super League title ambitions.
A last-minute drop goal from Giants captain Danny Brough rescued his side a point and ended a run of 10 successive defeats at the hands of the Wolves.
The Giants, still within touching distance of leaders St Helens, looked to have secured both points when impressive hooker Shaun Lunt created a length-of-the-field try for winger Jodie Broughton to put his side into a 23-6 lead.
We found some energy and some response and ways of speeding the game up. We showed some spirit to fight our way back in and should have managed things better and gone on to win it.
Tony Smith
However, centre Ryan Atkins sparked the Wolves' sensational comeback with a 57th-minute try and when prop Ben Harrison barged his way to the line twice in five minutes, the second time in controversial fashion, they looked to have won it.
Gareth O’Brien's fourth goal made it 24-23 and winger Rhys Evans went close to sealing the win as he knocked himself out attempting unsuccessfully to touch down at the corner before an interception from Leroy Cudjoe then set up the position for Brough to land his second drop goal of the match.
"It was a game of two halves," Anderson reflected. "It was all about momentum, we both had it at times and Warrington definitely came home with it.
"The positive is we put ourselves in a big position against a good team. If we want to win this competition, which we do, we'll have to play these again and we do know we can compete against these teams.
"The other positive is we haven't lost. It's only a point but it moves us up a couple of places."
Farcical scheduling
Anderson also bemoaned the fixture list following the match, as the Tetley’s Challenge Cup has meant the Giants were playing only their second game in a month.
"The farcical way the competition is structured because of the Challenge Cup gives no teams fluency," he added. "It's not good for anyone."
Warrington had opened the scoring with O'Brien's 18th-minute try and coach Tony Smith believes his side ought to have capitalised on their spirited comeback.
"If you watch the first half, it was a point won," Smith said. "It was great entertainment but it's not one I'm overly proud of as a coach.
"We're disappointed with our first half. We weren't far off, but just weren't on it.
"We found some energy and some response and ways of speeding the game up. We showed some spirit to fight our way back in and should have managed things better and gone on to win it.
"The most important thing is that Rhys is okay. He was doing his best to seal the win for us but it was an awkward landing and there were a few anxious moments."