Jim Lenihan urges Huddersfield Giants to focus on identity and not wooden spoon battle after latest win
Jim Lenihan has warned Huddersfield Giants against becoming distracted by their bid to climb off the bottom of Super League.
The competition's basement side now sit just two points behind Hull FC after seeing off their rivals to record back-to-back wins on Thursday night.
Lenihan admits the Giants are desperate to avoid the wooden spoon but stressed it cannot come at the expense of the identity he is trying to establish.
"We definitely don't want to finish last," he said. "But it's not the be-all and end-all.
"When we're going into games, we want to make sure we're inflicting what we want to do and not just be a part of what's happening and following it.
"If we were to get off the bottom of the table, it would be really good – but we are where we are and have to win a lot of games of football to stop worrying about that."
Huddersfield had lost 12 consecutive games before securing an elusive first win of the Lenihan era at York Knights.
The Australian felt the 22-16 victory over Hull was fuelled by that breakthrough moment.
The Giants now have something tangible to cling to after turning improved displays into results.
"Losing is contagious," said Lenihan.
"Winning games is a good feeling and gives belief. Last week's win gave us belief that we could find a way to win. Fortunately we did.
"It was good to win a game when we didn't play good. The nice part was that we had a little bit of belief to fight through and find a way at the end.
"We've probably played better in bigger parts of games this year and lost. For us to persevere, find a way and find a bit of belief in ourselves was really good.
"I'm just really happy for the boys to get some wins, feel good after a game and know all the hard work is worth it in the end.
"We're hardly a team flying but we're certainly a team that has turned the corner a little bit. We're competing harder and are playing a style of football we want to keep improving on."
Huddersfield hit the front early on through Chris Patolo but trailed at the break courtesy of tries from Joe Batchelor and Davy Litten.
Litten scored again for Hull to quickly cancel out Connor Wrench's effort, only for Lewis Jagger and George Flanagan to get the Giants over the line with late tries.
Seven straight defeats have left the Black and Whites in a battle to avoid the wooden spoon for the second time in three years.
Even Andy Last admits he has struggled to find the answers as Hull's season has unravelled.
"I haven't been very successful over the last three or four weeks, have I?" said the interim boss on the task of lifting the players.
"I've just got to keep trying to do the best I can with the tools I've got available to me.
"It's been a tough period for us and the challenge is only going to get tougher when we play St Helens away on Thursday. We need a better performance than we put in tonight.
"To lose that game in the manner that we did is really disappointing. We were close on the scoreboard again but just haven't quite got enough to get across the line and get the two points."