Giants too strong for Rhinos
Huddersfield triumphed 26-20 over reigning champions Leeds in a fiesty Yorkshire derby at the Galpharm Stadium.
Last Updated: 14/03/10 7:04pm
Huddersfield clinched just their second ever win over Leeds in the Super League era with a superb 26-20 triumph at the Galpharm Stadium.
Leroy Cudjoe's 74th minute penalty - his fifth goal of the game - made sure the Giants came out on top in a feisty Yorkshire derby.
Both sides had a man sent to the sin-bin by referee Richard Silverwood early in the second half following a brawl near the home side's try-line.
Having trailed 12-0 after 13 minutes, the Rhinos were 18-12 ahead at half-time thanks to two solo tries in the space of 60 seconds before the interval.
Second-half slump
However the defending champions, who have now lost as many league games as they have won in 2010, were only able to add their points tally through a Rob Burrow penalty in the 45th minute.
In contrast, Huddersfield managed two tries in either half to beat their near neighbours for only the second time in 24 attempts in Super League.
They had broken the deadlock thanks to hooker Shaun Lunt, who accepted David Fa'alogo's offload to score his fourth try of the campaign.
It didn't take Nathan Brown's side long to find a way through the Leeds defence again, Lee Gilmour this time scoring in the left corner.
Cudjoe, who had set up the second try with a clever kick out wide that bamboozled the defence, converted both scores to put the Giants into a commanding position.
As expected of champions, the Rhinos rallied after such a sluggish start and got themselves on the board when Ian Kirk set up Burrow for a try on the half-hour mark.
By the break they had crossed twice more, Danny McGuire and Ryan Hall both racing away down the right flank to go over out wide.
Fracas
Burrow knocked over both conversion attempts and added a penalty soon after the break following a fracas that left both teams down to 12 men.
Forwards Andy Raleigh and Ali Lauitiiti were both yellow-carded for their roles in an incident that seemed to have a positive effect on the hosts.
Larne Patrick dived over under the posts for a converted try and the Giants moved ahead when they crossed for an all-important fourth time in the 63rd minute.
Martin Aspinwall found his way to the line, with Cudjoe adding the extras. The makeshift full-back, standing in for injured skipper Brett Hodgson, then sealed the result in Huddersfield's favour with a penalty in the closing stages.
