Rugby Lions will feel they won well enough in this game dominated by a strong downfield wind, but they let slip a 21-point advantage to the extent that Huddersfield could have sneaked a draw with an added time try and Lions should never have let them entertain such a situation.

Rugby had fought back from a 10-point deficit in the opening quarter of the game to blitz Huddersfield with a 5-try performance.

Rugby saw almost no possession during the first 20 minutes of the game as Huddersfield began brightly with a strong wind behind them and Lions were unable to clear their 22 with kicks that went high but not far enough forward.

Field took advantage to score an early converted try after one of their centres was able to slice through Rugby’s defence.

Lions were lucky not to go further behind as visiting kicker Chris Johnson showed unusually shaky form to miss two kickable penalties before eventually succeeding at the third attempt for 0-10 after 16 minutes.

Gradually, Rugby started to get themselves into the game and a good move led to a 5-metre penalty lineout that saw Chris Humphrey driven over for 5-10 with 23 minutes on the clock.

The Lions ball carriers were now causing Huddersfield problems and attacking pressure brought a Lloyd Warner penalty.

Matt Price produced a deft grubber kick for Matt Goode to burst through a tackle before sending in Jeff Gregson to take Lions ahead at 13-10.

An interval lead would have made a big point given the weather conditions. Instead, a Lions penalty led to a couple of players trying a little too forcibly to retrieve the ball from a visiting player’s grasp and the penalty was not only reversed but Johnson kicked the points for half-time parity.

Goode’s long clearance kick on the restart indicated Lions’ tactics now they had wind advantage but early on they perhaps overdid their reliance on this tactic.

But Rugby’s pressure increased steadily and Field lost captain Mark Whitehead to the sinbin for offside, allowing Rugby to take advantage when Goode slipped through the Huddersfield defence, Warner’s conversion giving his side a 20-13 lead.

A second sinbinning for a stamp made it easier still for Lions, especially when a Huddersfield defensive error gave Tom Harris a try, very well taken and converted by Warner from wide out.

Lions were now in control and underlined this when Warner himself ran in a fifth Rugby try, his conversion appearing to seal the game at 34-13 on the hour mark.

But Rugby took their eye off the ball so to speak and two Huddersfield converted tries suddenly meant that another one would tie the game.

So it was fortunate that by then time had virtually run out and Lions scraped home where they should have coasted to an emphatic victory.

Warner (Patston 60), Harris, Goode, Reed, Gregson, Green, Barker (Handley 71), Burchnall, Price (Spokes 71), Major, Weaver, Campton, Humphrey, Carney (Williams 70), Walton (Saunders 67)