Super League: Huddersfield Giants 38-16 Catalan Dragons

Jermaine McGillvary has scored two or more tries in five Super League matches this term

Sixth-placed Huddersfield Giants eased to victory against Catalan Dragons to move to within two points of Super League's top four.

Jermaine McGillvary, Kyle Wood and Aaron Murphy tries put the hosts in control before Eloi Pelissier's score made it 14-6 at the break.

McGillvary added his second as Joe Wardle grabbed a second-half brace.

Morgan Escare and Michael Oldfield tries made little difference as Brett Ferres ran in the Giants' seventh try.

Victory all but cements Huddersfield's place in the top six as they move five points clear of the French side in seventh place.

The hosts made a strong start with Antonio Kaufusi helping set hooker Wood up for their first score and centre Murphy, who returned from a five-match absence with a broken hand, seized on a handling error from Leon Pryce to touchdown Giants' second inside 13 minutes.

While Chris Bailey lost the ball over the line soon after, Huddersfield increased their advantage as McGillvary squeezed over in the corner for his 100th career try.

Replacement hooker Pelissier responded just before the half hour after Lopini Paea had been brought down short of the line, with Sam Williams kicking the first of his two conversions to reduce the deficit to eight points at the break.

Wardle scooped up a loose ball to race 50 metres to add to the hosts advantage early in the second half, with Giants second rower Ukuma Ta'ai and replacement hooker Kruise Leeming both going close before a weaving run from Danny Brough sent McGillvary over for his second.

Dragons centre Ben Pomeroy put Oldfield in at the corner before leaving the field with a back injury, and Escare's 21st try of the season was no more than a consolation effort as Wardle and Ferres ran in two tries in four minutes.

Huddersfield Giants coach Paul Anderson:

"There is everything to play for. We want to be in that top four, we still want to finish top if that's possible.

"It was disappointing conceding 16 points but, in the first half, apart from one little misread on our try line, I thought we were pretty good defensively.

"Catalan are a good team but our effort and endeavour was good."

Catalan Dragons coach Laurent Frayssinous:

"Our performances are not good enough away from Perpignan.

"We need to keep on learning and today was a very good lesson because we took some short cuts.

"Instead of staying to the game plan and playing tough, we tried to score from anywhere and we couldn't put any pressure on Huddersfield."

Sunday's line-ups

Huddersfield: Grix; McGillvary, Murphy, Wardle, Broughton; Brough, Robinson; Crabtree, Wood, Kaufusi, Ferres, Ta'ai, Bailey.

Replacements: Kopczak, Lawrence, Patrick, Leeming.

Catalan Dragons: Escare; Oldfield, Pomeroy, Taia, Millard; Pryce, Williams; Simon, Henderson, Bousquet, Anderson, Whitehead, Baitieri.

Replacements: Lima, Maria, Pelissier, Paea.

Referee: Phil Bentham

Attendance: 4,931