Giants heap misery on Crusaders

Huddersfield Giants ran in seven tries to claim a 40-16 victory over Celtic Crusaders in the first of four Sunday fixtures on Magic Weekend.

The Giants enjoyed themselves in the magnificent surroundings of Murrayfield as Shaun Lunt (2), Simon Finnigan, Danny Kirkmond, Brett Hodgson, Michael Korkidas, Scott Moore all scored tries, while Hodgson also booted six goals for a personal 16-point haul.

The Crusaders mustered three tries in the final quarter through Chris Beasley, Anthony Blackwood and David Tangata-Toa, but the game was already long gone by that stage.

The Welsh expansion franchise have now lost 11 straight matches as their inaugural engage Super League season rapidly descends into a nightmare.

Slump

Huddersfield came into the match looking to respond after heavy back-to-back defeats had threatened to derail their promising start to the season under new coach Nathan Brown.

The result looked a formality for the Giants once skipper Hodgson went over for the opening try inside four minutes.

Hodgson produced a superb display, orchestrating his side's attacks while Kevin Brown and Scott Moore also tormented the fragile Crusaders defence with their clever handling and distribution.

Moore, who is on a season-long loan from St Helens, had the decisive hand in early tries for Hodgson and second rower Kirmond before going over for one himself after a mazy run from dummy-half.

The Crusaders offered very little on attack in the first half and their only clear break petered out when Josh Hannay's final pass to his winger Luke Dyer was snaffled by Hodgson, who seemed to be a magnet for the ball throughout.

Brown skilfully created an opening for substitute hooker Lunt to collect his first try just before the interval, when Huddersfield led 22-0, and it only got marginally better for the Welsh side after the break.

Crusaders winger Paul Ballard had a try disallowed early in the second half by video referee Stuart Cummings, who also ruled out a second touchdown by Hodgson.

Korkidas, the former Wakefield and Castleford prop, then further illustrated the flimsy nature of the Crusaders rearguard when he crashed over for his first try in Giants colours on 54 minutes to make it 28-0.

Ignominy

At least the Crusaders were spared the ignominy of being shut out for the second time when an offload from Jordan James sent second rower Beasley across the whitewash.

Damien Quinn added the extras but normal service was soon resumed when substitute Finnigan was put through a gaping hole by Luke Robinson, with Hodgson taking his goal tally to six from seven attempts.

The Crusaders finished a well beaten side but added a touch of respectability to the scoreboard with two late tries.

Full-back Blackwood used an overlap to score at the corner and prop forward Tangato-Toa took a more direct route to the line, forcing his way over from close range three minutes from the end.

Huddersfield lost Brown with a head injury in the closing stages but nothing could take the shine off a convincing victory which moved them within two points of Super League leaders St Helens.