Giants walk tall in Wigan

Wigan's early season woes continued as late tries by Michael Lawrence and Kevin Brown helped high-flying Huddersfield record their eighth away win in a row.

The Giants had led 10-4 at the break thanks to Scott Moore's touchdown and three goals from full-back Brett Hodgson.

And, although the Warriors came back into it in the second half with Amos Roberts adding to Phil Bailey's first-half score, two tries in the last five minutes secured the points.

Huddersfield's victory was even more impressive given they had Luke Robinson and Darrell Griffin sin-binned, with Harrison Hansen also yellow-carded for the hosts.

The Warriors had recalled Australian winger Roberts in place of Karl Pryce, with the Giants fielding five former Wigan players including half-backs Kevin Brown and Robinson.

The Giants were gifted some good early field position when Andy Coley spilled the ball deep in Warriors territory and, although they could not make it count, a clever kick from Robinson on the next set forced Shaun Ainscough to concede a drop out.

Opportunity

Huddersfield then took the lead on nine minutes when Hodgson booted over an easy penalty, although Wigan blew a great opportunity three minutes later when Gareth Hock barged his way over only to fumble in the act of scoring.

Wigan went in front on 17 minutes, great hands left from Sam Tomkins and Hansen putting Bailey over in the corner, before Hodgson's second goal levelled matters midway through the half.

The Giants regained the lead just before the half-hour when Wigan switched off at the play-the-ball allowing Moore to burrow over close range, Hodgson again making no mistake with the extras.

Robinson was fortunate to escape a sin-binning just before the break when he took out Pat Richards bang in front as he chased a kick through from Thomas Leuluai.

But, after electing to spurn the easy two points and run the penalty, Wigan dropped the ball on the second tackle to groans from the terraces.

Yellow-carded

Robinson was yellow-carded at the start of the second half when he slowed down a Warriors restart after Brown's grubber kick had run dead, and Wigan almost took advantage after 54 minutes when Tomkins kicked through but Roberts could not ground the ball before it rolled out of play for a tap on the 20-metre line.

The Giants scrum-half had only just returned to the pitch when tempers frayed on the hour mark, Griffin and Hansen trading punches on halfway and were sin-binned for 10 minutes.

The exchange seemed to fire up Wigan, and they reduced the arrears to two points when Roberts scooted over by the right-hand touchline, although the conversion from Richards drifted just wide of the upright.

The Giants defence, however, refused to crack a third time, and the visitors sealed the points with scores in the last five minutes from Lawrence and Brown, after Ainscough twice failed to gather kicks from Robinson.