Wigan win Challenge Cup at the death to leave Huddersfield devastated

Huddersfield 14-16 Wigan

As a lover of poetry, an emotional Matty Peet could see the romance in Wigan Warriors lifting the Challenge Cup, rugby league’s oldest and most famous trophy, in his first season as head coach.

Peet gained a 2:1 degree in English at Manchester Metropolitan University before embarking on a career in coaching and taking charge of his hometown club at the end of last year.

It has been a circuitous route to the top for the 38-year-old Wiganer, who never played the game professionally and is patiently writing a new chapter at his hometown club.

The cherry and whites exist to win trophies and Peet’s men did just that at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in front of a crowd of 51,628, courtesy of Liam Marshall’s drama late try deciding the match.

Huddersfield were on course for their first Challenge Cup since 1953 until Wigan’s effervescent scrum-half Harry Smith collected possession inside the left flank and sent a delightful grubber kick behind the Giants’ defence.

Marshall, a hometown boy, arrived at pace to ground the ball in front of the ecstatic Wigan hordes.

It was a record-extending 20th Challenge Cup success for arguably the biggest club in the British game.

You had to sympathise with Huddersfield, who fought bravely from start to finish but were ultimately made to pay for full-back Tui Lolohea succeeding with only one of his five attempts at goal.

Peet, a Wiganer who watched the club’s all-conquering side as a child, said: “I’m delighted we got the win – so many people have worked so hard.

“There was a massive turnout from the town and the players are motivated by that.I actually feel for Huddersfield, they were the better team for large parts today.

“They’re going to win things soon. They do things the right way and they’ve got a great owner. You could see the commitment on show from both teams. It was a moment at the end, and if I could have picked one player, it would have been Liam Marshall.”

Huddersfield led inside the third minute when Lolohea kicked a penalty and their first try came in the 16th minute when a neat handling sequence found Ricky Leutele inside the left channel.

The centre arrived at pace and held off Iain Thornley’s challenge to crash over in the corner.

Lolohea hit the outside of a post with the conversion attempt and the Giants were dealt a major blow soon after when prop Chris Hill was hurt in a tackle.

He had sustained a painful calf injury and had to be helped off the field, prompting a momentum shift as Wigan began to make inroads in their opponents' half.

Shortly after the Warriors forced Huddersfield into a goal-line drop-out, they breached their line when stand-off Cade Cust found Morgan Smithies inside the left channel.

Loose forward Smithies, a born and bred Yorkshireman, produced a deft pass to the onrushing Smith, who dashed over the line to score. Smith added the conversion to level matters at 6-6 but Huddersfield roused themselves and scored a second try to lead 10-6 at the interval.

After Jermaine McGillvary was denied in the right corner, the Giants continued to probe and were rewarded in the 34th minute.

This time, Jack Cogger found Lolohea and his pass sent Chris McQueen – who won the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match – inside the right channel.

The imposing Aussie second-rower showed impressive footwork to dummy his way past Jai Field and Ethan Havard before diving over the line.

Once again, though, Lolohea failed to convert, leaving the Giants just four points ahead at the interval.

Three minutes after the restart, Wigan fashioned a devastating move which drove a knife through the heart of Huddersfield's defence.

Bevan French raced down the right-hand touchline and showed intelligence to find Jai Field with a perfect inside pass which sent the full-back over the line.

Smith converted to make it 12-10 and put Wigan ahead for the first time.

Lolohea's misery with the boot continued in the 49th minute when he failed to convert a penalty.

A crossfield kick by Cust then forced McGillvary into a goal-line drop-out, but as the hour mark approached, Wigan forward Smithies conceded a costly penalty.

Smithies, having escaped punishment for an earlier high shot on Joe Greenwood, caught Leutele with a similar challenge.

Referee James Child opted not to sinbin Smithies, much to the anger of the Huddersfield fans, but from the resultant penalty the Giants worked the ball out to the right flank.

Centre Leroy Cudjoe's delightful offload found team-mate McGillvary and he pounced to score in the corner.

Once again, Lolohea faltered with the boot, leaving him with one goal from five attempts and the scores finely poised at 14-12 in Huddersfield's favour.

It was an advantage they could not protect as Wigan, despite losing Cust to an elbow injury, prevailed when Marshall’s predatory finish from Smith’s sumptuous kick delivered the killer blow.

Huddersfield boss Watson, who lost his third consecutive major final as a head coach, said: “I thought we were the better team for large parts and that’s what hurts.”

Match details

Huddersfield Giants: Lolohea; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Leutele, Senior; Cogger, Russell; Hill, Levi, Wilson, Jones, McQueen, Yates; Interchange: English, Greenwood, Trout, Golding

Wigan Warriors: Field; French, Thornley, Bibby, Marshall; Cust, Smith; Singleton, O'Neill, Byrne, Farrell, Bateman, Smithies; Interchange: Leuluai, Mago, Ellis, Havard

Referee: James Child