Round 2: Giants defeat injury hit Wolves

Former Wigan team-mates Stephen Wild and Martin Aspinwall marked their home debuts with tries as Huddersfield twice came from behind to beat injury-hit Warrington 26-20 at the Galpharm Stadium.

The Wolves, who were without five regulars, caught their hosts cold with two tries in the first seven minutes but were gradually overhauled by a gritty Giants side in an exciting second half.

Great Britain loose forward Wild was the Huddersfield hero, creating one try and scoring another from 50 metres to kill off the brave visitors.

Warrington scrum-half Chris Bridge, preferred in the starting line-up to Australian Michael Sullivan, easily won the race to Lee Briers? kick for the first score after only three minutes - with Briers adding the conversion.

Four minutes later, neat handling from Bridge and centre Toa Kohe-Love created an overlap for former Hull winger Richie Barnett to race unopposed to the corner for a try on his debut.

Huddersfield, who had five players making their home debuts, lost influential hooker Brad Drew with a leg injury after 25 minutes - but they gradually worked their way back into the game.

Half-backs Chris Thorman and Robbie Paul caused most of the problems for the Wolves, and it was the former whose stabbed kicks set up first-half tries for centre Albert Torrens and fellow Australian Chris Nero which enabled Huddersfield to draw level by the break.

It was no surprise when the Giants went in front for the first time on 52 minutes, Wild using his strength and guile to get Aspinwall over for a try.

But Michael De Vere missed with two of his three goal kicks, and Warrington regained the lead on 67 minutes when Briers converted a second try by Bridge - who took Mark Gleeson?s pass to jink his way over.

Both sides were down to 12 men at that stage, with Wayne McDonald (Huddersfield) and Ben Westwood (Warrington) sin-binned for fighting - and the game immediately opened up.

The lead changed hands for the third time in 20 minutes when substitutes Eorl Crabtree and Paul March both offloaded from the tackle to create the space for Nero to go over for his second try.

De Vere converted from the touchline, and Huddersfield made sure of the win when the impressive Wild tore out of the tackle and raced 50 metres to the line.

Thorman added the points, before the Wolves? Great Britain centre Martin Gleeson sent winger Henry Fa?afili over for a consolation try.

Huddersfield: Reilly, Aspinwall, Evans, Torrens, De Vere, Thorman, Paul, McDonald, Drew, Jackson, Smith, Jones, Wild.
Replacements: Crabtree, Nero, Snitch, March.

Warrington: Grose, Fa?afili, M. Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Barnett, Briers, Bridge, Wood, Clarke, Westwood, Swann, Wainwright, Noone.
Replacements: Sullivan, M. Gleeson, Bracek, Lima.

Huddersfield: (10) 26.
Tries: Torrens, Nero 2, Aspinwall, Wild.
Goals: De Vere 2, Thorman.

Warrington: (10) 20.
Tries: Bridge 2, Barnett, Fa'afili.
Goals: Briers 2.

Referee: I Smith (Oldham)

Att: 8,104