Huddersfield Giants 30-22 Hull KR: Jermaine McGillvary fires hosts to comeback win
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 18/05/19 1:28pm
Jermaine McGillvary scored two tries as Huddersfield Giants came from 16-8 down at half-time to secure a precious 30-22 Super League victory over fellow strugglers Hull KR at the John Smith's Stadium.
Rovers were unrecognisable from the side that was hammered 42-8 in March as they put themselves in a winning position, only to collapse alarmingly in the face of the Giants' second-half fightback.
Brothers Joe and Jake Wardle both touched down as Huddersfield scored four tries after the break to condemn their visitors to a fifth successive league defeat that leaves them perilously placed in the table, just two points above bottom club London Broncos.
Huddersfield went ahead after only four minutes when, after running the ball on the last tackle, centre Jordan Turner drew two defenders to give McGillvary an unopposed run to the line for his first try.
But the Giants paid the price for the indiscipline of second-rower Joe Wardle, who was penalised for dissent and then sin-binned after immediately repeating the offence, as Rovers used their man advantage to work winger Junior Vaivai over for an equalising try.
Simon Woolford's men regained the lead after 12 minutes when, despite still being down to 12 men, they produced a series of quick hands to get left winger Innes Senior over for a second try, but Oliver Russell was again wide with the conversion.
The game changed dramatically in the space of four minutes as the visitors, superbly marshalled by half-backs Danny McGuire and Josh Drinkwater, went up a gear.
Skipper Joel Tomkins caught the home defence napping when he crossed the line from a quickly taken tap penalty and full-back Craig Hall timed his run to perfection to touch down Drinkwater's grubber kick.
Ryan Shaw, who was wide with his first goal attempt, added two conversions to make it 16-8 and the lead would have been even greater had substitute prop Mitch Garbutt not lost his grip on the ball as he stretched out for the line.
The Giants needed the half-time break and they were the first to score in the second period as second-rower Ukuma Ta'ai's strong run took him close before Lee Gaskell's cut-out pass got McGillvary over for his second try.
Russell was again wide with the conversion attempt and Gaskell was also off target when Joe Wardle forced his way over for Huddersfield's third try on the hour.
That meant the scores were level, but the Giants went back in front three minutes later when Rovers' passing broke down in a promising attacking position and Jake Wardle picked up the loose ball to go 80 metres for an opportunist try.
Gaskell kicked Huddersfield's first goal of the match to open up a six-point lead and Russell made it eight with a penalty after Hull KR prop Antoni Maria was sin-binned for a high tackle on Gaskell.
Hooker Kruise Leeming made sure of the victory when he burrowed his way over for the Giants' sixth try and Russell kicked his second goal before hooker Danny Addy claimed a late consolation try for the visitors.
