Wakefield Trinity boss Willie Poching has his say on controversial penalties in Huddersfield Giants loss and gives update on Kelepi Tanginoa and Lewis Murphy

Huddersfield Giants took on Wakefield Trinity at the John Smith’s Stadium tonight.

Louis Senior was the first on the scoresheet, running 80 metres home after being set free by Ricky Leutele, but Wakefield turned the screw to dive over next.

Yusuf Aydin was able to crash over next to the posts off a brilliant Jordy Crowther pass with Mason Lino converting.

Will Pryce added a penalty goal for Huddersfield after the visitors were caught offside, but Wakefield had the last laugh of the first-half with Kelepi Tanginoa galloping over from 40 metres out off a superb Lino pass.

Lino couldn’t convert, but Wakefield went into the break with a 10-8 lead.

That being said, the Giants were the first on the scoresheet in the second-half when Senior grabbed his second following a fine move, but Wakefield hit the lead once more with a quarter of the game left.

A brilliant Jacob Miller kick through was pounced on by Matty Ashurst as the visiting Trinity fans – who turned up in their droves – were sent into raptures.

Pryce managed to send over a penalty with three minutes to go before Olly Russell missed a drop-goal in front of the sticks.

With the game into golden point, Huddersfield received the ball first and, after a superb Russell bomb was dropped by Lee Kershaw, Huddersfield were awarded a penalty – much to the chagrin of the travelling Wakefield supporters.

Pryce duly obliged with nerves of steel as the Giants took home a 16-14 win.

“I’m proud of them and the spirit they showed,” Poching said. “It was tough circumstances there at times – we lost key people, a centre and a back-rower.

“Whilst we lost a little tactically, we didn’t lose the effort and desire which we have shown pretty much all season.

“The last month or so we have got the rewards for it but we didn’t get that tonight. They have worked hard out there tonight.

“Nobody outside of our group thought we would pick up those wins that we did but the character of the team came through.

“We wanted to express ourselves and we found some joy in doing that and then we needed to keep going.

“Unfortunately we had a couple of tries ruled out early on but we couldn’t quite finish those chances off early doors.”

The game was settled when Pryce slotted over two penalties on 77 minutes and then three minutes into golden point. Poching confessed he didn’t see the second, but didn’t see much wrong in the first.

“I didn’t see the second one, but I didn’t think there was much in it.

“I didn’t see David Fifita had a hand on the ball. I didn’t see a lot in it, but I will put my hand up if I’m wrong.”

The Wakefield boss also gave an update on Kelepi Tanginoa.

“He’s done a knee injury he will have some scans and have a look at it.

“He was in a lot of pain and he doesn’t show that too often which is alarming when players of that nature show the pain, but he was quite optimistic after the game.

“Lewis did his foot and then re-injured it again later on.”