Giants stride into semis
Huddersfield ran in nine tries to crush London Broncos 50-14 and earn a Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-final meeting with Warrington.
Last Updated: 13/05/12 7:17pm
Huddersfield ran in nine tries to crush London Broncos 50-14 and earn a Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-final meeting with Warrington.
The Broncos were brushed aside in the second half but this looked like being a much closer contest as the Giants led just 10-8 after half an hour.
London, who have not beaten a Super League club away from home for more than 12 months, suffered a blow from the kick-off when second rower Matt Cook came off worst from a clash with Huddersfield winger Jermaine McGillvary and had to be helped limping from the field.
Yet London drew first blood when Craig Gower and Michael Robertson moved the ball wide and centre David Howell sent winger Kieran Dixon over for the game's first try.
Huddersfield struck back with two tries in five minutes to establish a lead they never looked like relinquishing.
Chief playmakers Danny Brough and Kevin Brown shifted the ball to the left, where Joe Wardle sent Aaron Murphy over at the corner before full-back Greg Eden dummied his way over for the second.
Brough added one of the conversions to make it 10-4 but Dixon grabbed a second try on 27 minutes after McGillvary failed to take Gower's high kick.
Michael Witt was off target for a second time with the touchline conversion and the Giants added two further tries before half-time to effectively wrap up the tie.
Substitute prop Larne Patrick took Luke Robinson's pass from dummy half to romp over untouched and Eden supported a break by Brough to score his second try.
There was a familiar pattern to the second half with Huddersfield always looking the more inventive side.
Patrick was denied a second try by a forward pass from Robinson, who immediately made amends by touching down twice himself in a four-minute spell.
Scott Grix scooped up a loose ball to get the diminutive hooker over for his first, while Brown took a return pass from centre Joe Wardle to get him over for his second.
Normal service
Prop Scott Wheeldon forced his way over for his first London try to briefly stem the tide but normal service was quickly restored.
Wardle's half-break set up Murphy for his second try, McGillvary forced his way over for one and replacement back rower Dale Ferguson took Robinson's pass to cross for the Giants' ninth try.
With the job completed, coach Nathan Brown took the opportunity to rest Brough and Robinson ahead of Friday's table-topping clash with Wigan, with Grix taking over the goalkicking responsibilities and succeeding with two of three conversion attempts.
The win gives Huddersfield the chance to avenge their defeat to Warrington in the 2009 Wembley final.