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TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 10 HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 26 PETER BIRD, Stade Ernest Wallon, Saturday HUDDERSFIELD are off the bottom of Super League after extending their recent revival to a fourth straight win with a convincing victory over a lacklustre Toulouse outfit lacking creativity. The visitors started the brighter, forcing a goalline drop-out in the third minute. After errors from each side, quick thinking by hooker Zac Woolford found Jacob Gagai with winger Sam Halsall in loads of space to score, and George Flanagan made no mistake with the kick. Four minutes later, the French levelled the scores after a blistering break from halfback Thomas Lacans was finished off from ten metres out by hooker Brendan Hands under the posts. But there was bad news for the hosts as talisman Jake Shorrocks limped off at the end of the first quarter. The Giants enjoyed the lion’s share of the play, helped by basic errors from a nervy-looking Toulouse, and it was no surprise when winger Halsall scored his second try in the left corner on 22 minutes after more good work from Gagai and Tui Lolohea. Huddersfield were back in again thanks to more Toulouse indiscipline five minutes later with veteran Joe Greenwood pushing over from short range under the posts. Flanagan made it three from three with the boot. Toulouse had their moments but bad discipline continued to give the advantage to their opponents. Five minutes from the break, the men from Yorkshire scored the try of the half with a lightning break from Lolohea finished off clinically by centre Connor Wrench to the right of the posts. Flanagan missed his only goal attempt of the night but the Giants sat pretty at 22-6 up. It was much of the same early in the second half as well, with the French escaping a try review three minutes in. Then Huddersfield prop Tristan Powell received ten minutes in the sin bin for a high tackle, but the hosts couldn’t take advantage of the extra man with the Giants defending well, surviving the ten minutes and even looking the stronger side as Olympique continued the errors. As the French looked tired and lacking invention, the Giants continued to press, forcing multiple goalline drop-outs. With 17 minutes remaining the visitors were again reduced to twelve men as Taane Milne, just back from a three-match ban, was shown the yellow. Toulouse started to show more urgency and threatened the Giants’ line, but solid defence kept them out. With eleven minutes left Flanagan made sure of the points with another cheaply conceded penalty under the posts. There was some joy for the French fans as Mathieu Jussaume crashed over with five minutes remaining. But Anthony Marion just pushed the kick wide, and Flanagan then scored his second penalty-goal in the final minute to confirm an excellent victory for the rejuvenated Giants. GAMESTAR: Adam Clune terrorised the French for the full 80 minutes with his impressive pace. GAMEBREAKER: The Connor Wrench try just before the break to confirm the points. HIGHLIGHT REEL: Jacob Gagai’s burst of pace to bamboozle the Toulouse defence and set up the final Giants try. ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS 3 pts Adam Clune (Huddersfield) 2 pts George Flanagan (Huddersfield) 1 pt Thomas Lacans (Toulouse) MATCHFACTS OLYMPIQUE 25 Luke Polselli 5 Benjamin Laguerre 19 Roméo Tropis 12 Mathieu Jussaume 2 Paul Ulberg 6 Thomas Lacans 7 Jake Shorrocks 17 Rob Butler 9 Brendan Hands 10 James Roumanos 22 Henry O’Kane 41 Louis Grossemy 15 Joe Cator Subs (all used) 8 Lambert Belmas 13 Anthony Marion 30 Tiaki Chan 40 John Toleafoa 18th man (used) 20 AJ Wallace Also in 21–man squad 11 Maxime Stefani 27 Hugo Garrigues 29 César Rougé Tries: Hands (11), Jussaume (75) Goals: Shorrocks 1/1, Marion 0/1 GIANTS 21 George Flanagan 4 Taane Milne 3 Jacob Gagai 34 Connor Wrench 5 Sam Halsall 6 Tui Lolohea 7 Adam Clune 14 Fenton Rogers 9 Zac Woolford 16 George King 43 Zane Dunford 12 Sam Hewitt 13 Harry Rushden Subs (all used) 8 Tristan Powell 17 Joe Greenwood 20 Mathieu Cozza 40 Cole Geyer 18th man (not used) 42 Lewis Jagger Also in 21–man squad 18 Keiran Rush 26 Archie Sykes 45 Oliver Leyland Tries: Halsall (7, 22), Greenwood (27), Wrench (35) Goals: Flanagan 5/6 Sin bin: Powell (48) – high tackle, Milne (66) – dangerous play SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-12, 6-18, 6-22; 6-24, 10-24, 10-26 Rugby Leaguer and League Express Men of the Match Olympique: Thomas Lacans; Giants: Adam Clune Penalty count: 4-6 Half-time: 6-22 Referee: Ryan Cox Attendance: 3,070