'A champion mentality': Ian Watson hails Huddersfield Giants resilience as Brett Hodgson criticises officials

Like last week when they left it late to beat Warrington Wolves, Huddersfield did not hit the front until the dying stages of Friday's game at the John Smith's Stadium.

Once again, Watson's men were too strong in the final quarter as they continue to build towards the Super League play-offs.

Watson insisted he was always confident the Giants would wear down the Black and Whites.

"I thought we dominated the large majority of the game," he said.

"It was just our silly mistakes in the first half and the seven-tackle sets.

"It was as simple as that. We were dominant in the way we defended and in attack; we just let them off and gave them a start.

"The resilience we showed to get back into the game, it was a champion mentality which is real good for us. You look back 12 months, we lose that game there."

Watson's bench provided a spark with hooker Danny Levi scoring a late double to help overturn a 16-6 deficit.

New dad Jack Ashworth, meanwhile, overcame weariness to produce a strong performance.

"He was being sick at half-time," said Watson.

"He had a baby yesterday so he's not had much sleep and has been on quite a lot of caffeine. He was throwing up in the changing rooms but he's all good.

"He probably played on adrenaline today. He had a great game for us."

On Levi's two-try cameo, Watson added: "He was outstanding.

"We've been speaking just recently about how he hasn't scored those tries for a while. It's a great time to start scoring a couple of those tries."

Opposite number Brett Hodgson was left to rue one that got away after the late drama dented Hull's play-off chances.

The FC boss pinpointed Will Smith's yellow card for foul play in the closing stages of the first half as a major turning point.

"It's a tough one to take," said Hodgson.

"The effort was very good but the sin-binning before half-time and the way we started the second half, we just didn't come out with the right intent. They lifted their intensity at that time.

"The way we started the second half was where the game was lost."

Hodgson was critical of the officiating but is hopeful the defeat will spur his team on in their top-six bid.

"We got penalised out of the game in the second half and I don't often say that," he said.

"Some of the decisions to penalise us were very harsh at times. We've got to rise above that and make sure it galvanises us for the last five games."