Giants run Rovers ragged

Giants avenge Challenge Cup defeat with mauling of Rovers.

Last updated: 18th May 2008

Rugby League Super League Huddersfield Giants St Helens Kevin Brown Michael Lawrence

Walking tall: Giants celebrate big win

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Huddersfield Giants handed out a 50-16 thumping to Hull Kingston Rovers at the Galpharm Stadium on Sunday.

The Giants successfully avenged last week's Challenge Cup mauling with a similarly emphatic victory which saw them run-in nine tries in all with eight different scorers.

Rovers actually opened the scoring with Scott Murrell's early try, but Martin Aspinwall, Shane Elford, Luke Robinson and Michael Lawrence saw the hosts almost out of sight at the interval.

Huddersfield continued the assault and John Skandalis, Leroy Cudjoe, Paul Whatuira and Andy Raleigh all crossed in the second 40 minutes, with Lawrence adding a late second try to reach the half-century.

Revenge

After being dumped out of the Challenge Cup last week, Jon Sharp's men looked like the had a score to settle but they fell behind early on when Murrell crossed the line after seven minutes for a 6-0 lead.

Aspinwall hit back for Huddersfield though with his 13th-minute try, and when Elford followed him across the whitewash five minutes later the Giants hit the front for the first time.

It was a lead they would never look like surrendering as they dominated the Robins and Robinson's try just before the half hour was followed by the first of Chris Thorman's seven successful conversions.

Lawrence bagged the first of his two tries on the stroke of half time and Thorman's second conversion sent the home side into the dressing room comfortably ahead 20-6 at the break.

Pressure

In no mood to sit back on their lead, Huddersfield kept up the pressure and Skandalis increased the advantage just three minutes after the restart with his try.

Cudjoe crossed on 48 minutes followed by Whatuira five minutes after that and the scorline was starting to look ugly for Hull KR.

Rhys Lovegrove got a second try of the match on the board for Justin Morgan's men as Huddersfield took their foot off the gas in the closing 15 minutes.

That score rekindled the interest of the hosts though and Raleigh made it 44-10 to the Giants six minutes from time.

Peter Fox again hit back in the closing stages for the Robins, but Huddersfield managed to reach the half century mark when Lawrence scored his second try of the match in the final minute and Thorman kicked his 14th point.