ST HELENS coach Mick Potter was delighted with his side’s victory at Huddersfield yesterday – which lifts them up to third in the table and sets them up nicely for Friday’s derby with leaders Wigan.
He said: “It was good to come here and get the two points. Huddersfield made it very difficult for us. It was a big test, especially with the wind against us in the second half, and I thought we hung in very well. They put us under a lot of pressure.”
Potter singled out young centre Gary Wheeler for special praise after he defied a deep wound in his shin to play a key role in Saints’ second-half rearguard display.
He was badly hurt after crashing into an advertising hoarding and needed several stitches before being able to go back onto the field in the second half.
“It was a very nasty cut, right to the bone,” said Potter. “You wouldn’t want to look at it if you didn’t have to.
“There were quite a few stitches - internally and externally – but the doctor did a good job to get him back on and his ball steal on Andy Raleigh could have been a turning point.”
Huddersfield coach Nathan Brown insisted the final scoreline was tough on his side but he had no complaints about either the result or the performance of referee Thierry Alibert after watching his side go down 24-6 at home to St Helens.
Saints got off to a flier, with left winger Francis Meli scoring two tries in the first 15 minutes, but they were forced to sweat on the outcome as the Giants used the wind in the second half to stage a spirited fightback.
Substitute Scott Grix pulled a try back but the visitors’ defence was generally superb and they clinched victory with late tries from James Graham and Kyle Eastmond to condemn Huddersfield to a third defeat.
“We just weren’t quite good enough,” said Brown. “I don’t think the scoreline was indicative of the game – it was a bit closer than that – but we turned over too much ball. Too many people wanted to blame the ref instead of getting their own game in order. If we get our game in order, we are hard to beat.””
Huddersfield gave a debut to new signing Danny Brough and Brown said: “He is definitely going to be a positive influence. It’s going to take time for the team to get used to playing with him.”
CHRIS RILEY grabbed his second hat-trick of the season as Warrington saw off Wakefield 32-16 on Friday to keep the pressure on leaders Wigan.
engage Super League
Huddersfield 0(HT) 6(FT); Grix 1(T); B Hodgson 1(G); St Helens 10(HT) 24(FT); Meli 2(T); Graham 1(T); Eastmond 1(T); Eastmond 4(G); Att: 9,648.
The Co-operative Championship
Dewsbury 14(HT) 30(FT); Spurr 3(T); Powell 1(T); P Walker 1(T); P Walker 5(G); Widnes 16(HT) 36(FT); Thackeray 3(T); Webster 1(T); Grady 1(T); Gerrard 1(T); Grady 6(G); Att: 1,499.
