Catalans Dragons 22 Huddersfield Giants 22: Danny Brough holds nerve with Magic kick to rescue Giants

DANNY BROUGH says his brilliant kicking performance which rescued Huddersfield Giants yesterday was one of the best of his long career.
Huddersfield's Craig Huby finds his path blocked at St james' Park.Huddersfield's Craig Huby finds his path blocked at St james' Park.
Huddersfield's Craig Huby finds his path blocked at St james' Park.

The captain held his nerve after the hooter to convert Jermaine McGillvary’s spectacular last-minute try from the touchline and earned his side a point at Magic Weekend.

Huddersfield had been 16-0 ahead early in the second period before somehow falling behind 22-16 to Todd Carney’s second try in the 71st minute.

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They wasted a raft of possession in search of the crucial score before Kyle Wood finally unleashed McGillvary, the winger who dived acrobatically to touch down one-handed.

Stand-off Brough had already expertly converted both of Jodie Broughton’s tries from out wide and, despite boos from the majority of the crowd inside Newcastle United’s St James’ Park, handled the pressure again to deliver the critical kick.

“It’s actually easier when it’s out wide as no one really expects you to get it from there,” explained the 32-year-old.

“I knew as soon as I hit it, it was going over.

“I don’t know why but for some reason everyone in the stadium turned against us.

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“That’s their opinion and if they want the French to beat us so be it. But they didn’t did they?

“For me my best kicking was the 2005 Challenge Cup (with Hull FC) with three touchliners and that (against Catalans) was up there with it.

“The feeling after the result is actually disappointing given we had the game under control and didn’t see it out.

“But the positive was we got a point.”

Coach Paul Anderson struggled to take the positives, however, describing Huddersfield’s second-half display as “unacceptable” and duly giving his side a “spray” for the manner in which they fell away.

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Catalans – who have still won just once away from home this term – looked far from threatening for most of the game.

However, the French side came alive in main down to the guile of Carney, their Australian stand-off making only his second appearance away from the home comforts of Perpignan.

Eloi Pelissier claimed one try back in the 47th minute before Carney stepped through a weak tackle between the posts.

Zeb Taia exposed some weak defence down Huddersfield’s right before Carney added his second when a desperate McGillvary knocked possession out of Scott Dureau’s grasp as the scrum-half raced over the line.

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Crucially, however, Dureau – dazed after the collision with the Giants winger – hit an upright with the simple conversion attempt just to the right of the posts.

That meant the West Yorkshire club still had a chance to draw level with a converted try and, after sustained pressure near Catalans’ line, they finally did via McGillvary’s effort with just 50 seconds to go.

Huddersfield – who lost England second-row Brett Ferres to a first-half knee injury – dominated the first period but the stalemate remained until they finally broke through in the 25th minute.

After five successive sets on their line, Catalans at last wilted, Brough’s deft chip being gathered by the waiting Broughton for a simple score.

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Brough improved the try from wide out but, with defences still largely on top and few scoring opportunities, it was no surprise when the Scotland star opted to kick two penalties before the break.

Catalans were given a team warning by referee Ben Thaler following that second penalty given their continuous ill-discipline which, in part, led to the lack of fluency initially in the game.

Jake Connor wasted a glorious chance to send the fixture decisively in Huddersfield’s favour when he fumbled stooping to collect a loose ball with the line begging just before the interval.

However, the young centre made up for that error with a splendid pass over his shoulder to provide Broughton with his second in the 44th minute, Brough again showing his prowess from the touchline.

But his best was yet to come.

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Catalans Dragons: Escare; Oldfield, Gigot, Tonga, Yaha; Carney, Dureau; Elima, Henderson, Casty, Taia, Whitehead, Baitieri. Substitutes: Anderson, Mounis, Pelissier, Bousquet.

Huddersfield Giants: Grix; McGillvary, Murphy, Connor, Broughton; Brough, Wood; Kopczak, Robinson, Huby, Wardle, Hughes, Ferres. Substitutes: Crabtree, Ta’ai, Mullally, Leeming.

Referee: B Thaler (Wakefield).