Warrington Wolves 16 Huddersfield Giants 24: Visitors deliver on Luke Robinson’s promise in impressive win

After pointing to his side's casualty list during a wretched first half of the campaign, Huddersfield Giants boss Luke Robinson was under pressure to deliver with a healthier squad.

Robinson maintained that the Giants would come good once they got players back on the field – and he has been vindicated in recent weeks.

Fresh from pushing high-flying Leigh Leopards and Wigan Warriors close, Huddersfield produced their best display of the year to show what might have been without their early-season injury crisis.

In contrast to their nervy win over 12-man Hull FC at Magic Weekend, this was a performance of authority and a thoroughly deserved second success of the campaign.

The result was not only a shot in the arm for the struggling Giants but also for play-off hopefuls Wakefield Trinity and Hull FC.

Their Yorkshire rivals now have a buffer over Warrington and can begin to look up the table.

A team that saved their best for the Challenge Cup, the Wolves have now lost five of their last six Super League games to increase the pressure on Sam Burgess.

Warrington produced a late rally but could have no complaints about the outcome; the Giants simply wanted it more in sweltering conditions.

Although still missing several influential figures, Huddersfield’s form has improved with key men in key positions – just as Robinson predicted.

It was the kind of performance he had insisted would come once he had the right tools at his disposal.

While all 17 players did their bit, it was the spine that led the Giants to victory.

George Flanagan, Tui Lolohea and Zac Woolford were instrumental, while loanee Matt Frawley underlined his value on his second debut for the club.

Lolohea showed both sides of his game in the opening exchanges, recovering from a poor start to lay on the first try with an inspired piece of play.

After putting his team under pressure with a wayward kick and being bailed out by a big tackle from Jacob Gagai, Lolohea quickly repaid the winger.

The playmaker read George Williams' pass to perfection deep in Huddersfield territory and raced into the Warrington half before giving Gagai a clear run to the line.

Sam Hewitt saw his game ended by a head injury but the first quarter belonged to the Giants.

Robinson's side took advantage of Warrington's defensive frailties to extend their lead.

Jordy Crowther invited Huddersfield in with a late hit on Frawley and the visitors did not need a second invitation.

Flanagan played a key role in the second try, stepping out of a tackle to give Jake Bibby the opportunity to finish confidently out wide.

When Flanagan added the extras with a nerveless conversion, the Giants had their hosts where they wanted them.

However, finishing the job is rarely straightforward for teams that have lost the winning habit.

An error by Sam Hasall from a short drop-out gave Warrington a scrum 10 out and Marc Sneyd jinked his way through on the first play all too easily from a Huddersfield perspective.

The Giants faced a character test after Sneyd's conversion cut the deficit to six points – and they passed it with flying colours.

Huddersfield showed enterprise on last-tackle plays and got their reward in the form of a penalty following a fumble by Williams from a kick.

Flanagan stepped up to kick the goal and send the Giants into half-time with a 14-6 lead.

Taane Milne was involved in an unsavoury incident before the interval when Crowther accused him of an eye gouge that was put on report, but the Huddersfield centre soon shrugged off the disciplinary concern to put his team in full control.

Josh Thewlis failed to gather a grubber kick from Lolohea and Milne took advantage of soft defence from the scrum to score his first Super League try.

Warrington sped the game up after Flanagan extended Huddersfield's lead to 14 points but the away team still carried a threat themselves.

The Giants were unfortunate to see a try chalked off following a sparkling run by Flanagan, the video referee spotting a questionable obstruction early in the play.

Gagai came to the rescue to deny Toby King in the corner and was rewarded at the other end for the second time in the match.

Lolohea shifted the momentum with a monster 20/40 and Huddersfield demonstrated their clinical side once again, Gagai completing his double from Milne's offload.

Warrington hit back immediately after claiming the short restart to keep things interesting.

Sneyd kicked to the corner to put a try on a plate for King before adding the extras from the touchline to make it a 12-point game with 11 minutes remaining.

Nerves were well and truly jangling when Jake Thewlis produced an outstanding finish in the corner, only for Sneyd to send his conversion attempt wide.

Huddersfield held their nerve in the dying minutes to close out an impressive win, the home crowd's boos putting the seal on a job well done.

Warrington Wolves: Josh Thewlis, Jake Thewlis, Tai, Wrench, King, Williams, Sneyd, Yates, Crowther, Vaughan, Stone, Fitzgibbon, Currie. Substitutes: Powell, Thomas, Philbin, Wood.

Tries: Sneyd (25), King (68), Jake Thewlis (75)

Goals: Sneyd 2/3

Huddersfield Giants: Flanagan, Gagai, Milne, Halsall, Bibby, Lolohea, Frawley, King, Woolford, Powell, Hewitt, Greenwood, Cudjoe. Substitutes: Golding, English, Burgess, Rushton.

Tries: Gagai (15, 64), Bibby (20), Milne (46)

Goals: Flanagan 4/5

Referee: James Vella.