Super League: Scott Grix stars in Huddersfield Giants’ win over Wakefield

Giants climb to fourth place after Wakefield victory

(Getty)

Huddersfield climbed to fourth place in Super League with a third straight win at Wakefield, but assistant coach Kieron Purtill admits they will have to improve if they are to stay there.

Full-back Scott Grix scored a hat-trick of tries inside the first nine minutes to give the Giants a flying start and although the Wildcats clawed their way back to 18-14 early in the second half, the visitors finished strongly to power to a 44-14 win.

“We had a fantastic start before the game went a bit sloppy,” said Purtill. “But the good thing is that we played our way out of that, got our composure back and scored some good tries. We’ve a big game ahead of us on Friday [against Warrington] and defensively we need to get better.”

The Wildcats, who gave debuts to Joe Arundel and George Griffin, threatened a shock when tries from Dean Collis, Danny Kirmond and teenager Jordan Crowther brought them back in the game.

But the Giants regrouped and ran in four more tries in the last 27 minutes through Brett Ferres, Leroy Cudjoe, Ukuma Ta’ai and former Wakefield favourite Danny Brough, who also kicked six goals. It was a fourth straight defeat for Wakefield, who plunge to the foot of the table.

Wildcats coach James Webster said: “We were definitely back in the game but we shot ourselves in the foot.”

Widnes coach Denis Betts was relieved after his side held on to beat Hull KR 20-16.

Two tries in the last quarter left the home side sweating, but some last-ditch defending ensured Rovers’ fightback fell just short. Betts said: “I was worried for most of the second half. We kept inviting them back in the game.”

Widnes led 20-4 at one point, thanks to two Paddy Flynn tries and one from Danny Galea, while Jack Owens kicked four goals.

The visitors’ tries came courtesy of Ben Cockayne, Ken Sio and Kris Welham but head coach Chris Chester was philosophical in defeat, saying: “We got our just rewards.”