Leroy Cudjoe the star as Huddersfield spoil Wigan's party

For anyone in Wigan expecting a Sunday night party to celebrate their most successful Super League season in a decade, Huddersfield turned out to be thoroughly impolite guests. The Giants made their intentions clear in a bruising and occasionally spiteful first half in which their prop Keith Mason sparked a major brawl by stamping on Stuart Fielden, and went on to show so much resilience and skill in coming from 10-0 and 16-12 down that they must now be considered genuine Grand Final contenders. Leroy Cudjoe scored two excellent tries and the former Wigan scrum-half Luke Robinson dummied over for another, although the most memorable moment of an absorbing contest came from Warriors full-back Sam Tomkins, who sprinted 75 metres for arguably the try of the season to regain the lead with 16 minutes remaining. If ever a try deserved to seal a trophy, that was it. But Huddersfield were in no mood for fairytales, and Wigan will now have to wait at least a week to secure the League Leaders Shield that is awarded to the team who finish on top of the table – although the priority, for them and the Giants, remains Old Trafford on the first Saturday in October. "We probably didn't play as smart or effective as we have been doing," Wigan's coach Michael Maguire said. "But we've got plenty of things to focus on now to get a bit of momentum for the finals. To be honest, we'll get a lot out of that game." The accurate kicking of Paul Deacon, the veteran scrum half who came home to Wigan last winter after a decade with Bradford, had set up first-half tries for Karl Pryce and Joel Tomkins. But Huddersfield had already showed signs of inventive attack, with their captain Brett Hodgson and the former Wigan stand-off Kevin Brown posing questions. They also managed to survive for five minutes midway through the first half with 11 men, as after Brown had been sent to the sin bin for a professional foul on Sam Tomkins, Mason and Fielden joined him for their leading roles in the melee. So it should have been no great surprise when Cudjoe claimed his first try after a slick combination with Michael Lawrence down the right in the 54th minute, and six minutes later Robinson collected David Hodgson's kick inside from the left wing to score a try that Brett Hodgson converted from the touchline to pinch the lead. That drew a spectacular response from Sam Tomkins, but with six minutes remaining Cudjoe collected Danny Brough's delicate chip to seal a famous win for the Giants. "To come back from 10-0 down over here, I feel really proud of our effort," their coach, Nathan Brown, said. Wigan's supporters had started the game chanting for Blackpool, in reference to the remarkable events on this pitch on Saturday afternoon. There has never been much affection between the town's two clubs, but this has not been a great weekend for either. Wigan Warriors S Tomkins; Pryce, Marsh, Carmont, Richards; Deacon, Leuluai (capt); Fielden, Riddell, Coley, Hansen, J Tomkins, O'Loughlin. Interchange Paleaaesina, Farrell, Davies, Tuson. Tries Pryce, J Tomkins, S Tomkins. Goals Richards 2. Huddersfield Giants: B Hodgson (capt); Lawrence, Cudjoe, Horne, D Hodgson; Brown, Robinson; Griffin, Brough, Mason, Gilmour, Fa'alogo, Wild. Interchange Crabtree, Lunt, Finnigan, Faiumu. Tries Cudjoe 2, Robinson. Goals B Hodgson 3. Referee P Bentham (Warrington) Att 13,619