Monday 28 July 2014 08:03, UK
Huddersfield cemented their place in Super League’s top six with a 38-16 win over Catalan Dragons but coach Paul Anderson is setting his sights even higher.
The Giants ran in seven tries to three against the seventh-placed Dragons as they took advantage of surprise defeats for Wigan and Warrington, two of the five clubs above them, to maintain their challenge for a maiden Grand Final appearance.
Last year's League Leaders’ Shield winners, never looked back after running in three tries in the first 18 minutes through Kyle Wood, Aaron Murphy and Jermaine McGillvary.
We want to be in that top four, we still want to finish top if that's possible.
It was the 100th try of McGillvary's career, on his 100th Super League appearance, and he went on to add a second after the break as Huddersfield won at a canter.
"There is everything to play for," Anderson said. "We want to be in that top four, we still want to finish top if that's possible.
"It was disappointing conceding 16 points but, in the first half, apart from one little misread on our tryline, I thought we were pretty good defensively. Catalan are a good team but our effort and endeavour was good."
The Dragons' French international full-back Morgan Escare scored his 21st Super League try of the season but it came too late to save his side from a comprehensive defeat.
Our performances are not good enough away from Perpignan. Today it was seven v six and the way they won the game was pretty disappointing.
Catalan coach Laurent Frayssinous admits the result virtually ends their hopes of a home tie in the playoffs and remains concerned over their dismal away form.
The Dragons have lost just twice in Perpignan this year but their only away wins have been come at the expense of relegated duo Bradford and London Broncos.
"We deserved to win at Leeds and we lost in the last minute at Wigan so we have produced some decent performances away but not enough consistently," Frayssinous said.
"Our performances are not good enough away from Perpignan. Today it was seven v six and the way they won the game was pretty disappointing.
"We need to keep on learning and today was a very good lesson because we took some short cuts. Instead of staying to the game plan and playing tough, we tried to score from anywhere and we couldn't put any pressure on Huddersfield."
