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RESERVES SHOCKED BY GIANTS
Leeds Rhinos Reserve Academy season ended in defeat at Headingley Carnegie on Sunday at Huddersfield pulled off a shock 26-22 over last year’s Grand Finalists.
The Giants started the game strongly after Simon Brown put the opening kick off out on the full. The Giants were camped in the Leeds half and nearly opened the scoring after five minutes. A neat kick through from Leroy Cudjoe just had too much weight on it and the Leeds defence survived. Huddersfield continued to press however, Ed Barber with another break through the Leeds defence before Danny Allan saved the day with a crunching tackle just short of the line.
Leeds finally began to build pressure on the Huddersfield line but it was the Giants who scored first, an offload from Kallum Watkins missed its intended target of Danny Lawton and was scooped up by Jermain McGilvary who went 95 metres to score the opening try of the game despite claims of a knock on. Ed Barber converted and the Giants were in a deserved 6-0 lead.
Leeds hit straight back, Ben Kaye making the initial break which got Leeds into good field position and on the last tackle Allan and Watkins combined to send Lawton in at the corner. Two minutes later, Leeds were in again. After the Giants put the kick off out on the full, Leeds took full advantage when Simon Brown gave Jodie Broughton enough space to get through the Huddersfield defence and get over the line. There was a nervous moment as the referee consulted the touch judge before awarding the try. Simon Brown was unable to convert either try, the first attempt hitting the post, but Leeds were into a slender 8-6 lead.
It was a see-saw game and the Giants hit back again off a kick from Gaz Firm which was claimed by Chris Clough and he managed to offload to Nathan Chappell, who rounded Tom Sheldrake to score in the corner. Leroy Cudjoe took over the kicking duties and duly obliged to send the Giants into 12-8 lead. It got better for the Giants eight minutes before half time, after Ben Collins was ruled to have knocked on by the referee 10 metres away from his own line. Huddersfield took immediate advantage from the scrum, Leroy Cudjoe powering his way though some poor Leeds defending to get over the line. Cudjoe then added the conversion and Huddersfield were 18-8 ahead.
Leeds then suffered a blow just before half time when Allan was forced from the field after picking an injury up and it nearly went from bad to worse for the Rhinos when Leroy Cudjoe stole the ball from Luke Hardbottle, but Tom Sheldrake was there to save the day for the Rhinos. But the Giants still went into half time with a ten point advantage.
Huddersfield extended their lead with nine minutes gone in the half after Cudjoe kicked a penalty to extend the lead to 12 points.
The Rhinos hit back four minutes later, a neat kick through from Paul McShane into the in goal area took a wicked bounce and Chris Clarkson just beat Luke Hardbottle to the ball to touch down. Simon Brown added his first goal of the afternoon to reduce the deficit to 6 points.
The Rhinos again got on the front foot, Dane Manning had the ball stolen just short of the line and from the resulting penalty a quick tap from Paul McShane to the short side and Manning was on hand to crash over in the corner. With Simon Brown off the field, Gareth Moore took over the kicking duties and kicked a superb conversion from the touch line to draw the Rhinos level. Two minutes later the Rhinos were ahead, another penalty conceded by Huddersfield saw Gareth Moore edge the Rhinos two points ahead.
However, Huddersfield then got their noses in front again with six minutes to go, a poor pass from Eric Anselme only found the touch line on his own 40 and Huddersfield took immediate advantage. Cudjoe stepped past Anselme to go in under the posts much to the delight of the Huddersfield players and fans. Cudjoe added the conversion and the Giants were four points to the good and facing the prospect of a trip to Harlequins.
Leeds then lost Simon Brown to injury as he was carried from the field after being knocked unconscious in a tackle attempt. It brought back memories of last year’s Under 18’s qualifying semi final at St Helens and the medical staff took all the time necessary to ensure the correct steps were taken. The Rhinos had four minutes to get back into the game, and try as they might they just couldn't break down the resolute Huddersfield defence and the season ended in defeat and heartbreak after leading the competition for so much of the year.
Leeds: Sheldrake, Collines, Broughton, Kallum Watkins, Lawton; S Brown, Moore; Chandler, Kaye, Hardbottle, Anselme, L Brown, Allan
Subs: McShane, Clarkson, Hall, Manning
Hudderfield: Cudjoe; Lopag, Chappell, Worthington, McGilvray; William, Barber; Crowther, Firm, Roberts, Clough, Martin, Housley
Subs: Hodgson, Falkingham, Paish, Walker
Referee: Warren Turley
By Matt Horton
Photo from Paul English
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