Super League: Leeds Rhinos 20-20 Huddersfield Giants
- Published
Tui Lolohea had a chance to win it for the Giants but failed to convert Innes Senior's try after the hooter had gone for full-time
Betfred Super League |
|---|
Leeds (12) 20 |
Tries: Sutcliffe, Martin, Gannon Goals: Martin 4 |
Huddersfield (4) 20 |
Tries: McGillvary, Leutele, Yates, Senior Goals: Lolohea 2 |
Huddersfield Giants produced a stunning comeback to draw at lowly Leeds Rhinos.
Jermaine McGillvary gave the Giants the lead before Liam Sutcliffe and Rhyse Martin touched down for the hosts.
Ricky Leutele brought the visitors within four but Morgan Gannon's converted try helped Leeds re-establish a 10-point lead.
That looked to be it but Luke Yates and Innes Senior scored in the final two minutes to improbably send the game to golden point extra-time.
Neither side could find what would have been a match-winning drop-goal, meaning that, for the first time this season, a Super League match ended in a tie.
Defeat would have been incredibly chastening for Leeds, who looked set to claim just their second win of the season - and first under interim head coach Jamie Jones-Buchanan - before Huddersfield's late, late rally.
The draw means the Giants, who won through to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup this week, have lost just one of their first eight Super League games this season.
They had a chance to win the game after Senior scored in the corner with 20 seconds to play, but Tui Lolohea was unable to convert after the hooter had blown.
Both teams will need to recover quickly from this bruising 90 minutes as Huddersfield welcome St Helens on Monday, while Leeds travel to improving Castleford on the same day.
Leeds Rhinos interim head coach Jamie Jones-Buchanan told BBC Radio Leeds:
"I thought we were impressive for a lot of it and we fought right to the end. I'm really proud of the boys.
"It's alright being courageous and brave when you're winning but when it's been the way it has that's when you have to be courageous and brave. I'm proud of the courage they showed.
"There's still areas where our discipline lets us down but we're on the right trajectory.
"Credit to Huddersfield. They're a great team and they've got a lot of belief."
Huddersfield Giants coach Ian Watson:
"Crazy finish to be fair. I thought we were really good for the last 15 minutes.
"I think a lot of credit has to go to Leeds. They were fresh from two weeks off and the crowd got behind them and they disrupted us.
"Coming away with a draw, I'll take it. I know we can score points if we play how we can play but it took a long time.
"Good teams can struggle and still not get beat."
Leeds: Walker, Handley, Mellor, Briscoe, Tindall, Sutcliffe, Austin, Oledzki, Leeming, Prior, Bentley, Martin, Smith.
Interchanges: Dwyer, Gannon, Tetevano, Donaldson.
Huddersfield: Lolohea, Senior, Leutele, Cudjoe, McGillvary, Cogger, Fages, Hill, Levi, Trout, McQueen, Jones, Yates.
Interchanges: English, Greenwood, Wilson, Golding.