Rugby League: Lawford has saving grace x3 x2

Huddersfield 19 Halifax 18

HUDDERSFIELD'S NEW faces just about outweighed their old habits as they escaped with the two points that could keep them in Super League. Ahead by 18 points, thanks to five inspired minutes in the first half, they did their best to follow this season's all too familiar script by failing to go the distance. But a drop goal by Dean Lawford seven minutes from time saved the game and possibly their status in the top division.

This victory takes them above Hull at the bottom of the table and a win at Sheffield on Saturday would make them safe. Huddersfield appeared to be grabbing their lifeline with alacrity when they cut loose in the 15th minute. Troy Slattery, fresh from south Sydney, began his highly significant personal contribution by feeding Martin Gleeson, whose run gave another debutante, Mark Sibson, on loan from Bramley, his chance to sprint to the line.

Slattery's run through the defensive line then set up Joe Berry and, almost immediately, Huddersfield struck again. Danny Russell, almost equivalent to a new player himself in his third game for three months, began it, Craig Weston carried it on and Slattery arrived to score.

With Lawford, himself a recent recruit on loan from Leeds, kicking all three goals, Huddersfield were in the sort of position of dominance that they have not experienced for a very long time.

But it was almost inevitable that they would allow Halifax back into the game and so it proved. Failure to control the ball put them under pressure and when they were slow to mark up from a quick tap penalty, yet another player making his first appearance, the Halifax stand-off, Andrew Dunemann, took advantage to dart over.

That ensured a hectic second half and Huddersfield continued to squander possession to invite Halifax to chip away at their lead.

The pressure told when Martin Moana's great run ended with him stopped just short, only for Paul Rowley to throw the ball out to Andy Hobson, who stretched over in the tackle to touch down and leave Graham Holroyd an easy second goal.

The tide seemed to be running strongly against Huddersfield and towards the Northern Ford Premiership when, 15 minutes from time, Holroyd found Nick Pinkney on the wing, whose stumble wrong-footed his marker, Darren Simpson, for another Halifax try, goaled from the touchline by Holroyd to level the scores.

Huddersfield found reserves of something probably desperation. Steve Booth's run caught Halifax offside, but Lawford not only missed the penalty but failed to kick it dead. That was close to unforgivable in the context of this finish, but he put it behind him in the best way possible, setting up the match winning position with a kick and then putting over the vital point.

"I was thinking before the match of the last time a game was as important as this," said Huddersfield's emotionally drained coach, Malcolm Reilly. "I could only think of Wembleys and Test matches."

On that basis, Huddersfield have one hand on their cup or are 1-0 up in the series; not safe yet but suddenly infinitely more hopeful than they were.

"The Great Escape" has become a hackneyed soundtrack to this sort of thing; for once, it seemed appropriate.

Huddersfield: Sibson; Reilly, Glesson, Weston, Booth; Ngamu, Lawford; Berry, Russell, Sturm, Bouthom, Slattery, Johnson. Substitutes used: Simpson, Carlton, Neill, Hill.

Halifax: Gibson; Hodgson, Bouveng, Craig, Pinkney; Dunemann, Holroyd; Marshall, Rowley, Dannon, Gillespie, Randall, Moana. Substitutes used: Hobson, Knox, Marns.

Referee: Cummings (Widnes).