Hull's cup defence is 'music to the ears', says coach Lee Radford

Hull coach Lee Radford hailed his side's grit and determination after the Black and Whites won the Challenge Cup for a second year in a row.

Radford's team, who beat Warrington in last year's final at Wembley, held off a late fightback from Wigan to secure a 18-14 victory.

"It sounds good, it sounds like music to the ears," Radford told the BBC.

"It was a fantastic effort. I said at half-time these (Wigan) boys do not give in and it will go to the 80th minute. That's instilled in them from the coach (Shaun Wane) downwards and they did not disappoint.

"We had to fight for everything today. We went into our shell in the final 10 minutes, they put me on the edge of my seat, but it was a special effort, special supporters and a special club."

Marc Sneyd became the first player to win the Lance Todd Trophy outright in consecutive years after producing a kicking masterclass.

And Radford was keen to talk up the influential half-back's achievements.

"Marc is probably the most criticised half-back the club have ever had," Radford added.

"To win two Lance Todd trophies is a phenomenal effort from a phenomenal player. He has it (the ball) on a string."

Sneyd converted all three of Hull's tries and tormented Wigan with his pinpoint tactical kicking to deny the Warriors a record-extending 20th final victory.

"An unbelievable effort again," he said.

"It is great. I am over the moon for days like this in rugby. It is a dream. We have won it two years on the bounce and we have had the toughest runs going. No-one can take it away from us as we have earned it."

Wigan piled on the pressure towards the end of the game, only denied a try at the death due to a forward pass, but coach Shaun Wane bemoaned his side's second-half display.

"I thought we had a chance but I don't think we deserved it," he said.

"I thought what we dished up in the second half was not good enough. We didn't put them under enough pressure in the second half. Quite rightly, they are the winners.

"We didn't do enough to win a game of this magnitude."