Super League: Huddersfield Giants 28-18 Widnes Vikings

Jake Wardle scored on his first start for the Giants, collecting two tries

Jake Wardle's debut double helped a patched-up Huddersfield Giants end their eight game winless run at the expense of fellow strugglers Widnes.

Wardle's first from a kick and Sam Wood's forceful finish set up a 10-6 lead, with Danny Craven's try in reply.

Giants struck through Wardle again, but Ryan Ince's score reduced the arrears before Ukuma Ta'ai rumbled over.

Tom Gilmore skipped over to again pull Widnes back but Alex Mellor crossed to lift the Giants off the bottom.

With this encounter bringing together Super League's most out-of-form sides, it was expected that one of the two would end an unwanted losing streak.

The Giants, who appointed Newcastle Knights assistant Simon Woolford earlier this week, sent interim boss Chris Thorman out on a high with this success.

Thorman has made use of the academy talents he helped nurture at the Giants and he was rewarded in particular by the performances of Wardle and fellow debutant Oliver Russell.

Widnes were game throughout the contest, testing Huddersfield's mettle but were unable to make their man advantage pay when Wardle was in the sin-bin during the second-half.

Their winless run is now extended to six games.

Huddersfield head coach Chris Thorman:

"It was emotional in there, I spoke to the senior players who felt they let me down, but I don't think that is the case.

"We tried hard, we haven't had enough in the tank over the past six weeks but tonight I'm proud, I tried to give opportunities to as many young kids who came through the system and they repaid me today.

"Oli Russell was as composed, astute and stuck to the plan as much as an academy half could have done. He was outstanding today and Jake Wardle is going to be some player.

"We deserved the win and I didn't feel we were under much pressure."

Widnes head coach Denis Betts:

"There's no excuse for the level of ineptitude we saw from our players out there. We were just dumb and there was no guile out there at all. Anxiety got the better of us, and Huddersfield thoroughly deserved the win.

"I generally stick up for my players, but that was just woeful, awful. And it has nothing to do with injuries or anything like that, because Huddersfield are in the same boat.

"At the end of the day, they were rubbish, we were rubbish, that's how bad the game was."

Huddersfield Giants: Rankin; McIntosh, Wood, Wardle, Mamo; Turner, Russell; Ikahihifo, O'Brien, Clough, Mellor, Ta'ai, Hinchcliffe.

Replacements: Leeming, Lawrence, Smith, English.

Widnes: Hanbury; Ince, Keinhorst, Runciman, Ah Van; Gilmore, Craven; Gerrard, White, Burke, Whitley, Wilde, Olbison.

Replacements: Leuluai, Cahill, W. Albert, Heremaia.

Referee: Liam Moore (RFL).