2013 Challenge Cup final: Defeat the Pitts for Hull’s dejected Jay

Gutted Hull FC forward Jay Pitts summed things up perfectly after losing the Challenge Cup final against Wigan Warriors admitting: “We just didn’t throw ANYTHING at them.”

Players can accept defeat when they have given their all and still been outplayed by an opposition.

But Hull left a rain-lashed Wembley on Saturday knowing they had just spurned a glorious opportunity of ending their infamous hoodoo at the national stadium.

It is now eight attempts they have failed to win there and in this shambles they never truly even gave themselves the chance such was their horrendous attitude to the ball.

Pitts suffered Challenge Cup final misery from the stands with Leeds Rhinos in 2010 and 2011 having just failed to make the cut for the Loiners’ matchday squad.

He made the 17 for Hull on Saturday having become a regular in Peter Gentle’s squad since leaving Headingley in April last year but, agonisingly, the end result was all the same.

Here, though, the hapless Airlie Birds also endured the ignominy of becoming the first side to be kept scoreless in a Challenge Cup final since St Helens were thrashed 27-0 by Wigan back in 1989.

Pitts did not look for excuses.

“It is just so disappointing and not a nice feeling,” said the ex-Wakefield Trinity Wildcats second-row. “But the disappointment is that we didn’t throw anything at them.

“We didn’t really give ourselves a chance, we had to do that much defence.

“We just put ourselves under pressure and have only got ourselves to blame really because Wigan were playing with the same ball, we turned the ball over a lot more than they did.”

Error-ridden Hull, who had won their last four games, only had one real opportunity when rookie full-back Jamie Shaul made a dazzling 85m run from near his own line after returning Matty Smith’s grubber with aplomb.

It was almost one of Wembley’s wonder moments but Wigan’s England winger Josh Charnley came out of nowhere to nail him and also – almost inevitably – see the ball spill loose too.

Yet Hull only trailed 8-0 going into the final seconds when Sam Tomkins finished them off with a trademark jinky run to the line.

“To hold them to 16 points with the amount of ball they had you can’t knock our defence,” argued Pitts.

“Our defence this year has always been good. But that doesn’t help that we didn’t ask any questions of Wigan.

“When it came to completing, we didn’t think we could do a second half as bad as that first when we dropped so much but obviously we could. And we did.

“We did it all again and then there’s a snowball effect.

“If it happens to one person (dropping), it happens to two and then so on and so on. We just couldn’t keep hold of the ball.

“We have to take it on the chin and we have to be better.”

Hull’s captain Gareth Ellis went off injured with a rib injury early in the first half but returned in the second period after a pain-killing injection.

Even the stellar England second-row could do little to bring his side out of their mistake-ridden football, however, as they continually coughed up the ball early in the tackle count.

The ex-Leeds Rhinos player did receive some good news early yesterday morning, though, his wife giving birth to a baby daughter after he had driven straight back from Wembley to their Wetherby home on Saturday night.

However, during the match, Hull failed to deal with the greasy conditions and Daniel Holdsworth never got his kicking game going to relieve any pressure.

Ben Crooks, the 20-year-old centre back from an ankle injury, endured a torrid afternoon where he struggled to grasp hold of anything as Wigan clearly targeted him.

Ex-Featherstone Rovers man Richard Whiting perked them up sporadically and Shaul showed some class too but, aside from that, there was little for Hull fans to take as positives. Smith won the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match as the wily scrum-half came up with some telling kicking to make life miserable for Hull and continually keep them guessing. Pat Richards improved both tries and also added two second-half penalties to presumably keep Hull at arm’s length but that tactic was proved irrelevant as their opponents froze under pressure and continually imploded

Iain Thornley, who played for Leeds Carnegie only last year, scored the game’s first try on 21 minutes after Wigan were gifted possession from one of Crooks’ blunders.

The 21-year-old centre is a product of the Wigan academy but only rejoined his home-town club 15 months ago after a stint in rugby union in which he played for Leeds while on loan from Sale Sharks

At the start of the season, the 6ft 4in Thornley was chosen by coach Shaun Wane to fill the boots of the departed George Carmont and he has made the most of his big chance.

“It’s the first time I’ve been to Wembley and I can’t get the words out to describe the feeling,” he said. “It’s fantastic, everything is buzzing.

“I didn’t expect this at the beginning of the year. I wanted to get a few games in and I’m made up with the season I’ve had so far. I’ve played quite a few games but the big one at Wembley is one I will always remember.

“I’ve had a few texts come through from people saying I’ve just won them £30 and £50 for being the first tryscorer,” Thornley added. “I think they got pretty good odds.

“Just to play was a dream come true and to get that try was amazing. It’s a great feeling, one that I will cherish forever, especially as it’s my home-town club as well.”

Wigan is now laying claim to being the sporting capital of England after the town’s rugby league team emulated the feat of the football club by winning at Wembley in the same year.

The Warriors lifted the Challenge Cup for a record-extending 19th time, courtesy of this victory over Hull, while Wigan Athletic won the FA Cup for the first time in their history, thanks to a 1-0 win over Manchester City in May.

Chairman Dave Whelan took the trophy with him when he went to watch the rugby league final.

“Dave brought the FA Cup into the changing room to join (Warriors chairman) Ian (Lenagan) with the Challenge Cup and all the boys had their picture taken with them,” said Wigan captain Sean O’Loughlin.

“For the town it’s a pretty special accomplishment.”

Hull face Wigan again at DW Stadium on Friday and coach Peter Gentle admitted: “We really were our worst enemies.

“It’s disappointing. We are so much better than that but we were guilty of panicking.

“It’s a bitter pill to swallow. To come here and play like that on a big stage, we’ve got to pick ourselves up and try and stamp ourselves in the play-offs,” he said.

Hull: Shaul, Crookes, Crooks, Yeaman, T. Briscoe, Holdsworth, T iller, O’Meley, Houghton, Watts, Ellis, Tickle, Westerman. Subs: Whiting, Lynch, Heremaia, Pitts.

Wigan: S. Tomkins, Charnley, Goulding, Thornley, Richards, Green, Smith, Flower, McIlorum, Mossop, Hansen, Farrell, O’Loughlin.Subs: Dudson, Taylor, Tuson, L. Tomkins.

Referee: Phil Bentham (Warr’ton).

attendance: 78,137.