Giants score seven to edge past winless Raiders

Betfred Women’s Super League

Huddersfield (22) 36

Tries: Clegg 2, Gale, Bennett, Hulme 3 Goals: Grady 4

Barrow (4) 20

Tries: Hutchinson, Temple, Clough, Dobson Goals: Stewart 2

Huddersfield Giants got off to a winning start in the Women’s Super League Shield stage with a hard-fought 36-20 victory against winless Barrow Raiders at Laund Hill.

Knowing that they need to pick up wins quickly to avoid a place in the relegation/promotion play-off, the visitors took a surprise early lead with Emma Hutchinson dotting down in the corner.

But it was the Giants who built up momentum, equalising first through Maddie Clegg’s length of the field effort, before Liv Gale’s charge down the blindside gave the hosts the lead.

Amy Bennett then found a gap to add a third before Sam Hulme went over untouched following a Raiders knock-on just before half-time.

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Stung, Barrow mounted an unlikely second half comeback, scoring first through Vanessa Temple and then Leah Clough as the Giants found themselves exposed by the increased tempo.

Mia Dobson’s powerful finish under the sticks moved the Raiders within two points, but two quick-fire tries from Hulme and another from Clegg as time elapsed put the game beyond the visitors.

Remaining winless and bottom of the Shield stage table, the Raiders face a run of three straight home games where they have to pick up wins to avoid facing the winners of the Women’s National Championship in a play-off.