Hull FC 16 Huddersfield Giants 42: Cudjoe inspires Huddersfield’s revival to expose gap over Hull

The Super League leaders overcame a 14-0 deficit yesterday to eventually run out clear winners at depleted Hull FC.

But they did not take the lead until Cudjoe scored a spectacular 80-metre try in the 57th minute, great footwork leaving Jamie Ellis floundering. The England centre did likewise to the same player just four minutes later to surge over from a closer distance, with Giants thankful of the 24-year-old’s obvious class.

However, Brown said: “I expect Leroy to do that sort of stuff, especially when the game is in the balance like it was.

“He’s a quality player and when you have a centre who is either playing international football or in the squad that’s what he’s required to do in your team – come up with big plays in big games.

“Under pressure, he did really well and it’s not uncommon for Leroy. It was important he did it in this match.”

Scratchy Huddersfield certainly needed the rangy centre’s intervention after initially struggling to overcome their hosts’ greater enthusiasm.

Hull had lost 22-4 at Huddersfield on Easter Monday with coach Peter Gentle promising his injury-hit side would perform far better in this contest.

Despite being further depleted in numbers – the East Yorkshire club welcomed back Tony Martin and a firing Sam Moa but lost their own England centre Kirk Yeaman, Wade McKinnon, Martin Aspinwall and Josh Bowden – they seemed capable of doing just that after building up a commanding 14-0 lead just before the break.

However, two tries from prolific wideman Luke George – one of four returning players Brown was able to rest six days earlier – either side of the interval got Huddersfield back in touch.

Giants full-back Greg Eden then angled over from 35m after a suspiciously forward pass from Scott Grix before Cudjoe delivered his first, eluding Ellis direct from a scrum down their short side.

Huddersfield captain Kevin Brown then collected the restart and, instead of handing on to a forward as is customary, sold an outrageous dummy to fool Hull’s defence, break free and put Wardle racing in from 70m.

Giants’ England duo Eorl Crabtree and Luke Robinson returned for their second spells, clearly highlighting the disparity between the two sides; Gentle could only turn to Chris Green and Liam Kent – four senior games between them – plus teenage debutant Ben Crooks, the son of Hull’s legendary ‘82 Cup winning captain Lee.

Subsequently, the final quarter became all too easy for Huddersfield as they ran in further tries from Cudjoe, Luke Robinson and Jason Chan.

Brown admitted: “No side does anything without a good bench.

“We’re fortunate to have a bench which can really have an impact.

“Obviously, Hull have a few injuries at the minute and you could see we had much more experience among our replacements.

“But Sam Moa absolutely annihilated us is in the first half; he was outstanding.

“Physically we were average and Hull were a lot better which allowed their halves to play.

“We knew we’d have to improve that – actually initiate some contact – or we’d be out of the cup but we maintained our composure and are in the hat.”

During that first half, Hull’s England winger Tom Briscoe scored twice after excellent assists from Jordan Turner, Danny Tickle converting both.

With Moa, Danny Houghton and Andy Lynch dominating the middle, the hosts continued to take charge, limiting their visitors to only a couple of threats.

Huddersfield, however, were fuming when Thierry Alibert – the French referee dropped from the Easter Monday schedule after awarding tries on the seventh tackle in two recent games – made one of many strange decisions.

Brown collected a kick behind his own line and just managed to stretch over into the field of play only to see Alibert award a drop out.

In the next set, Michael Lawrence was penalised for holding down Tickle who slotted another two points.

Huddersfield struck just before the break, though, when Brown’s cut-out pass finally caught Hull napping, George strolling in with Danny Brough improving.

The visitors then struck within two minutes of the restart after Ellis missed touch with a penalty, David Faiumu darting down the blindside on the last tackle to feed George again. Brough failed with his conversion attempt so, when Lawrence again infringed, laying on Richard Whiting this time, Tickle put Hull 16-10 ahead.

But Eden got that controversial score before Cudjoe did just what he is supposed to do.

Hull FC: Lyne; Sharp, Martin, Turner, Briscoe; Ellis, Seymour; Moa, Houghton, Lynch, Manu, Tickle, Pitts. Substitutes: Green, Whiting, Kent, Crooks.

Huddersfield: Eden; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, George; Grix, Brough; Crabtree, Robinson, Gilmour, Lawrence, Chan, Brown. Substitutes: Faiumu, Fa’alogo, Patrick, O’Donnell.

Referee: T Alibert (Toulouse).

Injuries mount but Gentle remains upbeat

HULL FC coach Peter Gentle is refusing to be downbeat despite the club’s crippling injury problems, writes Dave Craven.

The Airlie Birds, who genuinely hoped to reach Wembley this season, were knocked out of the Challenge Cup yesterday after falling 42-16 at home to Huddersfield Giants.

Missing eight regulars they suffered further injuries to Brett Seymour (knee), Richard Whiting (hamstring) and Jordan Turner (dead leg) to leave them in dire straits ahead of Sunday’s Super League visit of Wigan Warriors.

But Gentle said: “We’ll regroup and have a good crack at them.

“The cupboard is pretty bare and we had just 19 players training on Saturday.

“But every club goes through it and the upside is the young blokes are getting some experience while it augurs well for the future when we get these players back.”

Hull had defied the odds to take a 14-0 lead and were still in front nearing the hour mark.

But Super League leaders Huddersfield took charge with some prolific scoring as the hosts clearly tired and ran out of options.

“I knew we were in trouble when I saw the team sheet and they had three NRL players on the bench,” admitted Gentle.

“We had Ben Crooks making his debut and had Chris Green and Liam Kent with just a few games between them so it was a lot of inexperience.

“I’m not disappointed though. Today we had to bring our best game with us and for 40 minutes we did but we needed 50/50 calls to go our way too.

“We made errors with playing players out of position – we had Danny Tickle at right centre and Tony Martin at half when he needed to come off.

“We were busted but can’t feel sorry for ourselves.

“That’s part of it – it’s a contact sport – and our day will come.

“We’ve a good group of blokes who kept trying and that’s what it’s all about.”

New Zealand have named four uncapped players in a 19-man squad for Friday’s Anzac Test at Auckland’s Eden Park. Full-back Josh Hoffman gets a call-up in the absence of Kevin Locke, while Shaun Johnson will be the new partner for captain Benji Marshall.