Huddersfield Giants 46 London Broncos 10: Brown lays down the gauntlet as Giants end horror run

London took an early lead through a Michael Robertson try but Huddersfield bounced back in style to take the victory, scoring 30 points in the last 20 minutes to snuff out the threat from a tiring Broncos side.

Eorl Crabtree went over for two of the Giants’ eight tries while Luke George, Kevin Brown, Michael Lawrence, Larne Patrick, Aaron Murphy and Scott Grix also crossed for the hosts.

Brown said: “I’d have taken any win, but we earned the right to play some good footie with our pressure and by not overplaying our hand.

“Last week was the first one in a while where I’ve gone home from training feeling confident that we were going to do well.

“The important thing is the players now keep to that standard. This is a team where we need most people in the wheel to keep playing well.

“Some teams can afford five or six players having an off-day. They’ll have somebody like a Sam Tomkins who can win the game with three or four tries.

“But we don’t have that sort of team, so we need everybody to do well. I thought Danny Brough, Kevin Brown and Scott Grix were all outstanding today.”

Former Wakefield star Brough boosted his chances of playing for England next week by creating two tries and added seven conversions. Brough split London’s backline on 16 minutes with a diagonal kick that Widnes-bound skipper Kevin Brown pounced on.

He then started the move which led to a 16-4 half-time lead, with Leroy Cudjoe’s final pass putting Murphy in for a simple score on the hooter.

London, looking for back-to-back wins for the first time season, took the lead early on only for the Giants to hit back. The Broncos stayed with Huddersfield until midway through the second half, when they collapsed by conceding three converted tries in 11 minutes.

The opening try of the match saw Michael Robertson polish off a flowing move involving Luke Dorn, David Howell and Daniel Sarginson after just five minutes. Craig Gower missed the conversion.

Huddersfield were soon in front though courtesy of Luke George’s stunning solo try. He came out with the ball from a ruck of players on halfway and dodged two would-be tacklers before racing for the line on 13 minutes.

But the Broncos, thrashed 50-14 on their last visit to Huddersfield in a Challenge Cup tie in May, got a toehold soon after the break.

Australia star Gower crossed on 49 minutes and then converted to leave London only a score short of a morale-boosting draw.

London had the Giants rocking, but a breakaway effectively sealed the win for Huddersfield. Michael Lawrence sold Will Lovell a dummy pass on 57 minutes and then raced for the line.

Another breakaway, by Brown five minutes later, saw the loose forward pass inside for the on-coming Scott Grix to give the scoreline a lop-sided look.

Huddersfield’s haul of 18 points in an 11-minute spell was complete when Eorl Crabtree powered to the line on 68 minutes.

Substitute Patrick and Crabtree dived over late on, with Brough landing two more conversions to complete his haul.

Huddersfield Giants: Eden, Murphy, Cudjoe, Gilmour, George, Brough, Grix, Crabtree, Moore, Mason, Fa’alogo, Lawrence, Brown. Substitutes: Robinson, Patrick, Ferguson, Chan.

London Broncos: Dorn, Robertson, Lovell, Howell, Dixon, Sarginson, Gower, Kaufusi, Rinaldi, Wheeldon, Golden, Bailey, Clubb. Substitutes: Randall, Bryant, Bolger, Channing.

Referee: S Ganson (St Helens).