The Betfred Challenge Cup Semi-finals are always a superb occasion in the Rugby League diary, and this year fans emersed themselves on Elland Road as the Men’s Semi-finals followed the Women’s Challenge Cup final.
A local derby between the reigning Challenge Cup Winners St Helens and the Wigan Warriors was the first Semi-final and what a spectacle it was. The sporting term a game of two halves couldn’t be more accurate. The opening 40 minutes saw the Warriors dominant in both defence and attack.
Wigan and Liam Marshall got off to a dream start inside three minutes with the winger latching onto a pass from Jake Bibby before a spectacular finish in the corner. Having been a hero at one end Marshall quickly came back down to earth knocking on inside his own 20 metres. Thankfully Wigan stood firm holding out a strong Saints attack. It got better for the Warriors midway through the half with Cada Cust crashing over. Just before the half, Liam Farrell showed his dazzling footwork once again to go underneath the posts to give the Warriors a 14-0 lead at the break.
The first score of the second half was vital and it went the way of the Saints, Konrad Hurrell powering his way over as the holders started the comeback. On the very next set, Jonny Lomax took Tommy Makinson’s knockdown to bring the scores to within two. Saints completed the comeback before the hour mark with captain James Roby reaching out to touchdown.
The scoreline could have got worse for Matt Peet’s side with Marshall knocking on again close to his line, but this time St Helens could not break the Wigan defence. As the clock ticked closer to the 80 minutes it appeared that Saints pressure would finally take its toll and they would extend their lead, but it wasn’t the case as a resilient Wigan managed to keep themselves in the game.
After being stuck in their own half for the majority of the second half Wigan and Liam Marshall were handed a gift with a knock-on from Jack Welsby bouncing kindly into the hands of the winger, with an open field ahead of him, nobody was going to stop the speedster from scoring the match-winning try under the posts, to cap off a performance of highs and lows with the highest of highs as Wigan reach the Challenge Cup final for the first time since 2017.
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