Super League: Danny Brough the difference as Huddersfield beat Castleford

The Giants clawed back an early 12-point deficit to level matters at half-time with tries midway through the second half from Scott Grix and Aaron Murphy extending their advantage.

However, late tries from Jake Webster and Daryl Clark levelled the contest at 28-apiece before one-time Castleford man Brough slotted home the one-pointer to settle the outcome.

The Scotland captain finally settled a pulsating encounter, taking his points tally for the Giants to 997 as he denied his former employers the chance to go second in the Super League table.

The visitors had made the best possible start too, with two converted tries inside the first 15 minutes.

Captain Michael Shenton, whose early-season form has seen pushed into contention for an England recall, produced a fend on fellow international Leroy Cudjoe to go in for his ninth try of the campaign.

Shenton's in-form wing partner Justin Carney then demonstrated his prowess with a 60-metre burst, easily rounding full-back Grix to touch down and take his tally for the year into double figures. Mark Sneyd added both conversions to make it 12-0.

Help

It took Huddersfield time to recover from the double setback, and they needed some help from their opponents to present them with the chance to put points on the scoreboard.

Tigers second rower Weller Hauraki burst clear but sent out a wayward final pass which Huddersfield substitute David Faiumu swooped on. From the next play, Brough's sharp pass got centre Joe Wardle over the line.

Just six minutes later and a surging run from second rower Jason Chan set up the position for Cudjoe to touch down. Brough was successful with his second kick at the posts, though a missed penalty attempt left the two teams deadlocked at 12 apiece at the break.

The momentum was with the Giants and they duly took the lead for the first time within two minutes of the restart when replacement hooker Kyle Wood sped away from the ruck to get McGillvary over.

Castleford levelled four minutes later when right winger Kirk Dixon climbed above Murphy to collect Sneyd's kick to the corner and touch down but the visitors' joy was short-lived as Huddersfield went up a gear.

Grix forced his way over for a try after second rower Ukuma Ta'a had been brought down short and Brough's 40-20 kick set up the position for winger Murphy to finish a sweeping crossfield move for the Giants' fifth try of the afternoon.

Yet the Tigers came roaring back, Webster running over Giants scrum-half Luke Robinson for a 65th-minute solo try before hooker Clarke regathered the ball from his own grubber kick on the last tackle to touch down.

Sneyd took his goal tally to four from five attempts to tie the scores for a third time, but Brough settled the see-saw contest in favour of Huddersfield with a a drop goal on 74 minutes.