Two tries from former Wigan stand-off Kevin Brown helped Huddersfield to a narrow victory over the Warriors at a chilly Galpharm Stadium.

Brown was released by Wigan at the end of last season because of salary cap restraints, but he showed his former club what they are missing by twice following up kicks by the excellent Chris Thorman to ensure his side shaded this pre-season encounter.

Wigan, who were without new signing Trent Barrett but fielded Phil Bailey, Thomas Leuluai, Shane Millard and Michael Withers for the first time, were led by two-try Gareth Hock, but they were made to pay for too many handling errors in admittedly difficult conditions.

Huddersfield handed debuts to John Skandalis, Jamahl Lolesi, Shane Elford, Darrell Griffin and Ryan Hudson - the latter making his first appearance for two years after a drugs ban.

The Giants took just four minutes to get off the mark with new signing Elford reacting first to Thorman's kick into the corner to touch down.

Thorman added a super conversion from the touchline and the opening 10 minutes was all Huddersfield as the Warriors defence took a battering but held out.

Wigan hit back on 12 minutes when captain Sean O'Loughlin dummied left and passed right for Mark Calderwood to squeeze in at the corner, but the angle just beat Pat Richards' conversion attempt - which in the end proved decisive.

Calderwood then dropped the ball over the tryline as Wigan pressed, but the visitors were made to pay when Huddersfield extended their advantage after 26 minutes.

Steve Snitch barged his way through some weak tackling and Thorman's second goal made it 12-4 to the Giants.

Again Wigan hit back quickly, second row Gareth Hock taking three men over the line with him, and Richards this time found the mark to reduce the deficit to just two points.

Two minutes before half-time the Giants crossed for their third try with Brown touching down after O'Loughlin had failed to deal with another kick from Thorman, whose conversion made it 18-10 at the break.

The same combination was also responsible for the Giants' fourth try nine minutes in the second half, with Thorman's goal extending the lead to 14 points.

But Hock's second try and another for substitute Harrison Hansen, both goaled by Richards, reduced the gap to just two points with 15 minutes remaining.

And despite a 60-yard run by Withers from behind his own tryline, when Calderwood just could not find a way through to support, the home side just held on.