A touch of class and a natural finisher – so often the difference between success and failure.
Harry Smith provided the former and Liam Marshall once again proved he is the latter as Wigan Warriors claimed a record-extending 20th Challenge Cup.
Huddersfield, who last lifted rugby league’s oldest and most famous trophy in 1953, fought admirably from start to finish at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Wigan Warriors have won the Challenge Cup for the 20th time, but it is their first in nine years
Liam Marshall scored the decisive try after receiving Harry Smith’s 20-metre grubber kick
You knew they would under their impressive head coach Ian Watson, who has fashioned the Giants side into a respected force this year.
At this level, though, a moment of genuine quality often tells and it did so here in the 77th minute and in the most dramatic fashion.
When Wigan scrum-half Smith collected possession inside Huddersfield’s half, he kept his composure to send a delightful kick into the left corner, where predatory winger Marshall arrived at pace to ground the ball.
Cur delirium in the Wigan stands and devastation among the Huddersfield hordes in the 51,628 crowd.
Matty Peet, who has now claimed a major trophy in his first season as Warriors head coach, 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.
Wigan boss Matt Peet has been part of the club for over 13 years as a player and coach
Missed kicks did for Huddersfield in the end – full-back Tui Lolohea faltered with four of his five attempts at goal and was made to pay in the end.
Wigan veteran Thomas Leuluai came off the bench to play a key role just six weeks after being ruled out for supposedly three months with a knee injury.
Giants boss Watson said: ‘I thought we were the better team for large parts and that’s what hurts.
‘Tui is beating himself up over the missed kicks but we could have won it regardless.’
Huddersfield led inside the third minute when Lolohea booted 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.
Marshall (left) celebrates after scoring Wigan’s dramatic third try late on to secure the trophy
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.
Meanwhile, Huddersfield Giants’ 69-year wait to taste glory in the competition continues
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.
Wigan Warriors pair John Bateman and Morgan Smithies celebrate after the full-time whistle
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.
This year’s Challenge Cup final was held at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first time
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.
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