BBC SPORT | Rugby League | Challenge Cup | Wigan shock favourites Saints

St Helens 12-21 Wigan

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Wigan won their first Challenge Cup final since 1995 with a hard-fought Murrayfield victory over local rivals St Helens.

The long-odds underdogs led from the 10th minute but ultimately it was captain Andy Farrell's goalkicking that carried them through.

The teams scored three tries apiece but Farrell's 100% kicking record made the difference.

Saints pegged the Warriors back throughout the game, but with Sean Long missing all three of his kicks, they could never threaten the lead.

Scorecard

St Helens 12
Tries: Albert, Gleeson, Sculthorpe

Wigan 21
Tries: Dallas, Lam, Connolly
Goals: Farrell 4
Drop goal: Lam

Wigan full-back Kris Radlinski had spent final week in hospital with an infected foot and only declared himself fit to play an hour before kick-off.

But he wasted little time in demonstrating why the Warriors were so desperate for him to start with a performance that won him the Lance Todd Trophy.

Radlinski's 10th minute tackle denied Tim Jonkers a certain try for Saints.

And just 60 seconds later, his cute offload from a two-man tackle created the overlap that handed wing Brett Dallas the opening score.

Wigan continued to shrug off their underdog status and soon moved further ahead when Adrian Lam side-stepped his way over near the posts.

Farrell again added the goal to give his side a 12-0 lead inside the quarter-hour.

However, Saints struck back with two tries of their own in quick succession.

The holders got onto the scoreboard midway through the half when wing Darren Albert scored from Sean Long's high cross-kick.

St Helens' Martin Gleeson
Martin Gleeson scored Saints' second try
Long could not convert the try, however, and missed again from out wide after Martin Gleeson created a try from nothing on the half-hour.

That cut Wigan's lead to 12-8 at the break and the Warriors suffered a further blow when a dislocated shoulder ruled Mick Cassidy out of the second half.

But Stuart Raper's side refused to buckle and pulled further ahead on 50 minutes when Julian O'Neill's dummy and half-break allowed Paul Johnson to free Gary Connolly to score.

With Farrell's conversion putting Wigan 18-8 ahead, Saints desperately needed a try to stay in the game.

They got it on the hour mark when Paul Sculthorpe battered over from close range, but Long again missed the conversion to leave his side still six points adrift.

Crucially, Lam made that seven with a drop-goal 10 minutes from time, leaving Saints needing two scores to get back on terms.

But those scores never came and Farrell extended Wigan's lead with a late penalty.

St Helens: Wellens, Stewart, Newlove, Gleeson, Albert, Martyn, Long, Britt, Cunningham, Shiels, Joynt, Jonkers, Sculthorpe.
Replacements: Higham, Stankevitch, Hoppe, Ward.

Wigan: Radlinski, Johnson, Connolly, Ainscough, Dallas, O'Neill, Lam, O'Connor, Newton, C. Smith, Cassidy, Furner, Farrell.
Replacements: Carney, Hodgson, M. Smith, Bibey.

Referee: Stuart Cummings (Widnes)

Attendance: 62,140


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