Huddersfield 16-42 Wakefield: Trinity stage Super League comeback to shock Giants
Last Updated: 01/09/18 8:39am
Danny Brough became the fourth highest points scorer in Super League history but his contribution was not enough to stop Wakefield probably ending Huddersfield's chase for a play-off semi-final place after a 42-16 loss.
Brough's conversion of the Giants' opening try in the 13th minute took him past Pat Richards' tally of 2,284 points and helped in-form Huddersfield take a 12-0 lead and seemingly on course for a seventh straight win.
The Giants also led 16-6 at the start of the second half, but their evening turned sour as Trinity stormed back with three tries in an 11-minute spell before pushing on to claim victory, with Tom Johnstone's brace taking his season-tally to 20.
The Giants now find themselves six points adrift of the top four and, with only four games to play and three of those away from their John Smith's Stadium home, with very little hope of extending their season into the title deciding play-offs.
The visitors came into the game with no realistic chance of climbing into the top four but showed little lack of motivation, despite slipping behind.
The Giants, undefeated since their 37-10 loss at Hull KR on June 29, saw their early efforts thwarted by handling errors until Brough, Lee Gaskell and Leroy Cudjoe combined with quick handling for Jermaine McGillvary, who scored a hat-trick the last time the sides met five weeks ago, to touch down in the corner.
Brough added his landmark conversion and the Giants were in again five minutes later when Ukuma Ta'ai charged onto a short pass to score between the posts.
The introduction of blockbusting prop Pauli Pauli midway through the half gave Trinity much-needed impetus and the lead was trimmed when Bill Tupou's clever pass behind the tackler put Johnstone in for his 19th Super League try of the campaign.
Ryan Hampshire landed a fine touchline kick and suddenly Wakefield were on the offensive.
Johnstone was adjudged to be held up by desperate scramble defence, then Jordan Rankin put Jordan Turner within half a metre of the line at the other end as both sides battled to stamp their authority on the game again.
But defences held firm to leave the home side 12-6 ahead at the break.
Aaron Murphy, on his first game back from injury, went over in the corner from a Gaskell pass to give his side some breathing space just after the interval, although Brough missed from the kicking tee for the first time.
Kruise Leeming gifted Trinity a way back when his careless pass was intercepted by Johnstone who ran 70 metres upfield to score, and Hampshire's second conversion reduced the deficit to just four points.
Then a break down the right from Ben Jones-Bishop and a kick ahead was successfully chased by Hampshire, who benefited from a kind bounce and then converted his own try to edge the visitors ahead for the first time.
Three minutes later a Jacob Miller kick was fumbled on his own line by Turner and Scott Grix pounced to score - Hampshire's fourth conversion taking Wakefield 24-16 clear.
Trinity then pulled further away as Huddersfield failed to find a response.
Hampshire's pinpoint kick was plucked from the air at pace by Jones-Bishop for his 17th try of the campaign with 11 minutes remaining, then a Johnstone break was finished off by Miller.
Finally Grix followed up Hampshire's break to clinch the men from Belle Vue's first win at the John Smith's Stadium in five visits.
