Hull KR reaction: We'll bounce back vows Willie Peters after Challenge Cup final defeat to Leigh Leopards

The emotion shows as Hull KR captain Shaun Kenny-Dowall reflects on his side's extra-time loss to Leigh at Wembley. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

In the wake of a heartbreaking Challenge Cup final defeat, Hull KR coach Willie Peters insisted his side’s season is still very much alive.

The Robins are sixth in Super League and Peters pledged they will use the disappointment of Saturday’s 17-16 golden-point loss to Leigh Leopards at Wembley as extra motivation for the play-offs.

“There’s no doubt we are going to be disappointed,” admitted the coach. “But we have got six games left in the Super League season and we can push and try and get into the play-offs and see where we go off the back of that.

“The boys will have a few days off and then they’ll come back and I know we will be ready to go at St Helens on Friday.”

Hull KR's Brad Schneider looks stunned as Leigh's celebrations begin following their extra-time winning kick at Wembley. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

The Robins led early in the game, but were two points adrift at half-time and six behind until the final minute when Matt Parcell touched down and, after an agonising delay for video referee Liam Moore’s ruling, Brad Schneider landed the equalising conversion.

Both teams missed with drop goal attempts before Lance Todd Trophy winner Lachlan Lam booted the decisive kick three minutes into extra-time.

It was an agonising way for Rovers to suffer their seventh defeat in eight Challenge Cup final appearances, but Peters insisted pride was his overwhelming emotion afterwards.

Hiull KR substitute Matt Parcell scored the trty which helped send the Challenge Cup final into extra-time, but ended on the losing side. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

“We went through a lot in that game,” he reflected. “We didn’t handle golden-point all that well, which we have previously, but over the 80 minutes some things went against us at times and we just hung in there.

“It shows the fight in this team and the character in the side to keep going until the end and lock it up. Unfortunately we lost in golden-point and this is hard to take, but I am extremely proud of all the players.”

The Robins had won two of their previous four games, including their Cup semi-final against Wigan Warriors, in extra-time, but Peters admitted: “We’ve got to learn from opposition teams at times and I think they taught us a good lesson in golden-point.

“Credit to Leigh, they are a very good team. They are third in Super League for a reason and they’ve won [the Cup] for a reason.”

Captain Shaun Kenny-Dowall believes the Robins will benefit from having played on such a big stage. Though the crowd was a disappointing 58,213, the New Zealander reflected: “It was a great occasion.

“Obviously we are very disappointed, but I really enjoyed the moment out there. It was a great spectacle, our fans showed up in numbers, as they always do, and I really feel for them. We really wanted to get the win for everyone involved.”