Carroll's treble kills off Giants

Huddersfield 26 Leeds 3

Huddersfield have been given new confidence in their ability to avoid relegation from Super League by Wakefield's point deduction, but a hat-trick from Tonie Carroll means they will have to wait for another day to get off the bottom of the table.

The revitalised Giants dominated the first quarter, their pressure bringing two penalties from Steve McNamara and almost a try from Paul Reilly. It all went badly wrong, though, when Leeds scored with their first real attack, Kevin Sinfield's high kick being palmed back from the dead-ball line by Brett Mullins for Carroll to score.

Huddersfield compounded the blow when Brandon Costin kicked dead from the restart and Leeds touched down again when the defence bought a huge dummy from Sinfield.

When Sinfield landed a third goal, it looked to be going Leeds' way, especially when Chris Thorman wasted a wonderful attacking position with a wild pass and was then sent to the sin-bin for holding on in the tackle.

Andy Hay went through some more weak tackling for another Leeds try, but the introduction of Ben Kusto from the bench saw Huddersfield reply before half-time. Stanley Gene picked up McNamara's deflected kick and drew the defence for Kusto to score with his first touch.

Carroll claimed his second from Karol Pratt's kick ahead immediately after the break, but Huddersfield hit back through an interception by Thorman. Leeds were sufficiently concerned to bring Iestyn Harris into the fray, his left wrist heavily strapped and his participation for Wales tomorrow night subject to a specialist's examination today.

Sure enough, Harris began the move and saw Carroll send Mullins over to give Leeds more breathing space. Carroll completed his hat-trick from a quick tap penalty after Reilly had gone high on Chev Walker.

The Giants got one back through Chris Langley amid the chaos after their kick-off and, with eight minutes to play, Costin managed to force his way over the line to give them fresh hope. But Costin was stopped as he tried for a repeat in the last minute and Huddersfield will have to try again to get away from their customary position at the foot of the table.

"I'm pretty proud of them and the mood in our dressing-room is very confident," said their coach, Tony Smith. "But we probably made too many errors to win it.''

Huddersfield: Reilly; Frew, Gleeson, Gene, Langley; Costin, Thorman; Marshall, Rowley, Stone, Lomax, Atkins, McNamara. Substitutes used: Kusto, Slicker, Molloy, M Walker.

Leeds: Cummins; Mullins, Carroll, Senior, Calderwood; Pratt, Sheridan; Ward, Mears, McDermott, Mathiou, Wrench, Sinfield. Substitutes: Diskin, C Walker, Hay, Harris.

Referee: R Connolly (Wigan).