Giants leave Saints reeling

Brough: Influentiual performance

Huddersfield made it a three-way tie at the top of the Super League table after a dominant 40-18 win over St Helens at the Galpharm Stadium.

Eorl Crabtree touched down twice while Danny Brough racked up a total of 16 points as the Giants crossed the try-line seven times.

The visitors were powerless to stop themselves being condemned to their heaviest defeat in over five years, while Huddersfield's victory keeps them level on points with Warrington and Wigan at the Super League summit.

Saints' injury problems were compounded when forward Chris Flannery was hurt during the warm-up, meaning Tom Makinson was moved up to the bench.

After a feeling-out period at the start of the match, Huddersfield struck first as Crabtree charged over from close range in the eighth minute.

Leroy Cudjoe broke free on the last tackle before his kick through was deflected off a Saints hand and re-collected by the Giants close the try-line. Powerful prop Crabtree then crossed by the posts.

Pressure

The Giants continued to pile on the pressure, with Scott Grix being held up just before the line and Nathan Ashe stripping the ball from Brough when a try seemed certain.

Makinson's first involvement was also a piece of last-ditch defending as his outstretched leg diverted the ball away from a diving Michael Lawrence in the in-goal area.

The visitors could have scored themselves when James Graham found space but the prop left his offload too late and instead it was the Giants who extended the advantage courtesy of Brough.

The scrum-half brushed off a tackle deep inside his own half before racing around Paul Wellens for a fine solo try, adding the extras himself to make it 12-0.

It remained that way at the half-time break, but Saints caught the hosts off-guard shortly after the interval as James Roby poked a kick through for Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook to touch down.

Jamie Foster added the conversion but Huddersfield continued to have most of the territory and extended the advantage once more when stand-off Kevin Brown stretched for the line from close range.

Team try

Brough's kick made it 18-6, which quickly became 24-6 in the 55th minute after a fine team try that saw Lee Gilmour make the break and hand off the Cudjoe, who raced down the wing before flicking a brilliant, back-handed pass inside to allow the supporting Lawrence to the score.

The Giants were in again two minutes later as Crabtree ran through a gaping hole in the defence, with Brough continuing his perfect day with the boot.

The St Helens defence was now in disarray as Joe Wardle brushed off a half-hearted tackle to score Huddersfield's sixth try, although Brough finally missed a conversion attempt.

Saints avoided a total rout as first Matty Ashurst and then Ade Gardner crossed the try-line, but there was to be no coming back from the huge deficit.

In fact it was the Giants who had the last word when Grix leapt over the line after taking a pass from Brown and Brough converted to complete the scoring.