Giants cut loose to storm into last four
Huddersfield Giants 50 London Broncos 14
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Your support makes all the difference.The Giants took the last place in the Challenge Cup semi-finals, quickly overcoming the Broncos' early resistance to pile on the points. Three players led the way with two tries apiece, with Luke Robinson also setting up a pair, and Huddersfield were simply too strong in too many departments for London's leaky defence.
Their reward is a semi-final against Warrington, with Leeds meeting Wigan in a repeat of last year's final.
It is 14 months since the Broncos won away from home on a Super League ground, but they drew first blood with a try from one of their young London prospects, Kieran Dixon, on the overlap. Within two minutes, Aaron Murphy had wiped out that early advantage and Greg Eden soon put Huddersfield ahead.
London had a chance to strike back from Chris Melling's charge-down, but wasted it by committing an obstruction. The Giants were also error-prone, and Dixon then shocked them with a second try, from Craig Gower's kick, just before the half-hour. Michael Witt again missed his conversion, to leave Huddersfield with a two-point lead, stretched before the break by Larne Patrick – set up by Robinson's lively work at dummy-half – and Eden's second.
Patrick was denied a second by Robinson's forward pass, before Danny Brough's clever kick caused havoc in the Broncos' defence, amid which Robinson claimed the Giants' fifth try. Robinson then made it two in two minutes when he backed up Kevin Brown's break.
Scott Wheeldon, newly signed from Hull KR, got one back for the Broncos with his first try for the club, using his weight effectively from close range. That was only a minor respite, though, as Eorl Crabtree's power helped to pave the way for Murphy to become another player to complete a double.
Jermaine McGillvary was next to cross the line, capitalising on Dale Ferguson's long break, before Ferguson himself brought up the half-century from Robinson's pass.
The only worry for the winners, with Friday night's match against top-of-the-table Wigan in mind, was that Danny Brough finished with a groin strain, and Scott Grix had to take over the goal-kicking duties.
Huddersfield: Eden; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, Murphy; Grix, Brough; Crabtree, Faiumu, Gilmour, Lawrence, Chan, Brown. Subs used: Robinson, Mason, Patrick, Ferguson.
London: Robertson; Dixon, Channing, Howell, O'Callaghan; Witt, Gower; Kaufusi, Randall, Bryant, Cook, Rodney, Bailey.Subs used: Wheeldon, Clubb, Melling, Temata.
Referee: J Child (Dewsbury).
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