Wakefield Trinity boss Chris Chester says: 'That shows this squad has pride in me'

Under-fire Wakefield Trinity coach Chris Chester says his squad proved they have pride in him with the manner of their rare victory of Huddersfield Giants.

Tom Johnstone's 75th minute try saw Super League's bottom club come from behind to beat Huddersfield Giants 18-14 last night - a first win since March and following 10 successive losses.

After a scathing national newspaper report, Chester had to fend off questions about a potential player revolt against him in the build-up to the contest at St Helens.

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However, the squad showed their spirit as they fought back from 14-6 down with Johnstone's second-half double to get the rare win.

Chester - who gathered his squad in a huddle on the pitch at the end of the West Yorkshire derby - said: "It (report) kind of galvanised us over the last 24 hours.

"We know that those kind of comments haven't come from within the dressing room itself.

"I just got them all there at the end of the game and I couldn't be more proud of how they have stuck together in these last 10 or 12 weeks,

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"Make no bones about it - it's not been good enough and one win doesn't relieve anything. It just gives us something to work with.

Wakefield Trinity captain Jacob Miller at the end of their victory over Huddersfield Giants. (Isabel Pearce/SWpix.com)Wakefield Trinity captain Jacob Miller at the end of their victory over Huddersfield Giants. (Isabel Pearce/SWpix.com)
Wakefield Trinity captain Jacob Miller at the end of their victory over Huddersfield Giants. (Isabel Pearce/SWpix.com)

"We started the game really strong and tough and we had that never-say-die attitude towards the back end there.

"We were a little bit unlucky with the try going against us but the guys didn't let it affect us and I thought we were worthy winners.

"I was a bit disappointed we went in at half-time behind on the scoreboard with the amount of field position and territory we had.

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"Credit to Huddersfield as they threw some shape at us that we could't quite defend but we got it right in the second half."

Under-pressure Wakefield Trinity coach Chris Chester (middle) during the game against Huddersfield Giants.  (Isabel Pearce/SWpix.com)Under-pressure Wakefield Trinity coach Chris Chester (middle) during the game against Huddersfield Giants.  (Isabel Pearce/SWpix.com)
Under-pressure Wakefield Trinity coach Chris Chester (middle) during the game against Huddersfield Giants. (Isabel Pearce/SWpix.com)

Asked if the players remembered their victory song, Chester conceded: "I think I'd forgotten it's been that long.

"It's up to me to make sure that results are better.

"We have been poor in quite a lot of the games but the effort tonight showed a team that had some pride in the badge, in what we're all about about and pride in the coach and I thought that was really evident from the start of the game."

Captain Jacob Miller came up with a big tackle to force Sam Wood into a mistake near his own line to create Johnstone's crucial second try.

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Chester, whose Wakefield side host Hull KR on Sunday, added: "He does that kind quite regularly does Milky (Miller)

"They'd just started to creak and we were unlucky to have a try ruled out just before that.

"I just thought we needed something special: Milky did that and Tom got the try."

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