Huddersfield Giants 8 Wigan Warriors 22: Giants looking for second chance after Wigan punish their errors

Paul Anderson’s side may have finished top for the first time since 1932, but if they are going to press on and win a maiden Grand Final they must now do so the hard way after spluttering against Wigan Warriors last night.

It is easy to trot out the statistics and mention the ‘choking’ tag once more given the West Yorkshire club have now won just two of their 10 play-off Super League contests, both of those coming back in 2010.

But this defeat, though costly, had little to do with any lingering concerns about Huddersfield’s mental attitude and more to do simply with their failure to handle atrocious conditions better than their dogged opponents.

In fairness, the heavens opening was just perfect last night for a Wigan side who had lost seven of their previous nine league meetings to be seemingly devoid of inspiration.

It meant the Challenge Cup holders could dig, scrap, slide and fight their way to victory knowing much of Huddersfield’s panache, power and flair would be dampened in the deluge.

In Charnley, Wgian had a man who could make the most of their limited clear-cut opportunities, the England winger making history last night by becoming the first player in the summer era to score 40 tries in a season.

His 41st in the 54th minute, with Wigan delivering the best handling sequence of the error-ridden game, gave Shaun Wane’s side a 14-8 lead they would never relinquish, next week off to rest up, and a home tie in the last four.

Huddersfield, meanwhile, gain a second chance and must return here next Thursday to face the lowest-ranked winner of tonight’s Hull FC v Catalan eliminator and tomorrow’s game between St Helens and Hull KR.

Anderson’s side – who had beaten Wigan both times previously this term – had started with all the strength, menace and purpose of a team recently anointed as League Leaders’ Shield victors.

Wigan, in particular their sluggish British Lion convert Andy Powell, seemed unable to handle the pace early on.

The struggling prop came off after just nine minutes. Powell had managed 14 a week earlier against Leeds Rhinos, but clearly play-off rugby was another step up for the visibly stunned former Wales RU forward.

By the time he had stumbled clear of the carnage, having twice been trampled over by Eorl Crabree, Huddersfield had already opened up a 6-0 lead.

They had forced two successive drop-outs courtesy of typically clever kicks from Luke Robinson and Danny Brough before the latter profited with a brilliant try.

It was the rooted Powell who the Huddersfield captain initially stood up with a great sidestep 20m out, but it was the manner in which Brough’s footwork then easily bamboozled full-back Sam Tomkins, too, that drew most admiration.

He converted his own score but made a gaffe on his own line after Ben Flower had bumped off Crabtree down the middle. Scott Grix dragged the Wigan loose forward down, but Brough spilled Matty Smith’s grubber to see the visitors earn their own drop-out.

The scene was set; the kickers would take centre stage here. Rarely can more drop-outs have been fashioned.

Charnley dropped a spiralling Brough bomb which meant Tomkins was called upon to just halt Brett Ferres as the Huddersfield second-row – one of five Giants named in the Dream Team this week – charged close.

Ferres returned the favour with a crunching challenge at the other end before Blake Green continued the pattern of eking out drop-outs with another teasing grubber that left Grix with nowhere to go.

That, too, was wasted though when the ex-Hull KR stand-off’s pass went too far in front of Tomkins.

Wigan did level, though, after Huddersfield prop Craig Kopczak had uncharacteristically coughed up a pass just 20m from the 
visitors’ line on just the second tackle.

Moments later, Anthony Gelling – in for Wigan’s injured centre Darrell Goulding – fed Charnley after a misread in the home defence and the England winger intelligently used the greasy conditions to slide in at the corner after evading Joe Wardle’s tackle.

Richards converted and then, after Brough’s restart was kicked dead, the big Australian almost nonchalantly booted over a penalty from halfway.

Ferres’s defensive prowess was called upon again to deny Harrison Hansen before Huddersfield applied more pressure of their own through the unerring accuracy of Brough’s boot.

The only problem is the positive of gaining a drop-out is slightly reduced against Wigan given 
Richards can launch back the ball 60m.

Brough’s penalty just before the interval meant it was 8-8 at the break, but Charnley pounced first in the second period and it was his side who, crucially, retained the ball far more impressively.

Robinson nearly got on the end of Brough’s next sliding kick while Crabtree thought he had twisted over only to be met by the uncompromising presence of England colleague Lee Mossop.

When Green dummied his way past Kopczak in the 68th minute, Richards converting, Huddersfield’s thoughts must already have been wandering to next week, Smith’s two drop-goals proving inconsequential.

Huddersfield Giants: Grix; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, Murphy; Brough, Robinson; Crabtree, Lunt, Kopczak, Ferres, Chan, Ferguson. Substitutes: Faiumu, Lawrence, Patrick, Wood.

Wigan Warriors: S Tomkins; Charnley, Gelling, Thornley, Richards; Green, Smith; Powell, McIlorum, Mossop, Hansen, Farrell, Flower. Substitutes: Hughes, Dudson, Taylor, Crosby.

Referee: Phil Bentham (Warrington)