Challenge Cup final 2021: St Helens claim Wembley glory with 26-12 win over Castleford Tigers
Lance Todd Trophy winner Niall Evalds and Jake Trueman had helped the Tigers into a six-point lead at half-time, but St Helens hit back through tries from James Roby, Tommy Makinson and Kyle Amor after the break to lift the trophy
By Marc Bazeley
Last Updated: 19/07/21 9:56am
A second-half fightback from St Helens saw them claim the Challenge Cup for the first time since 2008 with a 26-12 victory over Castleford Tigers in the final at Wembley.
Saints capitalised on an early spell of pressure to take the lead through a converted try from Theo Fages, but the Tigers responded with some scintillating attacking play to lead 12-6 at half-time through Lance Todd Trophy winner Niall Evalds and Jake Trueman's converted scores.
However, the reigning Super League champions seized the initiative in the second half, with tries from James Roby, Tommy Makinson and Kyle Amor plus the kicking of Lachlan Coote ensured victory for Kristian Woolf's team.
Both teams went into the final aiming to end long droughts since they last lifted the trophy, while Castleford - last winners at Wembley in 1986 - also had the motivation of wanting to give Daryl Powell a major trophy to bow out with before he joins Warrington Wolves next season.
It was not to be though, despite the brilliant efforts of full-back Evalds, who joined the likes of Frank Whitcombe, Robbie Paul, Gary Connolly and Kevin Sinfield in being named player of the match in a Challenge Cup final despite finishing on the losing team.
Head coach Powell made several changes to the provisional Castleford team announced on Friday, with prop Grant Millington given a place in their starting line-up after missing the final defeat against Leeds Rhinos in 2014 with a knee problem - having only just returned from a similar injury.
St Helens, however, lined up as expected, with Joe Batchelor taking the second-row spot which would have gone to Sione Mata'utia had he not been ruled out through suspension.
An early penalty for offside allowed Saints to gain the ascendancy and the pressure told in the 10th minute when Jonny Lomax put in a kick which evaded the grasp of Oliver Holmes, bouncing off the post padding and sitting up perfectly for Fages to dive on and finish, giving Coote a simple conversion.
Castleford responded with a combination of intense defence and some of their trademark inventive attack play though, unlocking the Saints defence six minutes later with an attack down the right edge which was started and finished by Evalds.
The full-back released three-quarter Peter Mata'utia and, when the defence closed in, he put in a perfectly weighted kick over the top which Evalds followed up to finish, followed by Gaz O'Brien landing the conversion.
Then Trueman put Cas in front in the 25th minute, out-jumping Fages to pluck the ball out of the air from half-back partner O'Brien's kick back infield and finished under the posts.
The intensity levels did not drop for the rest of the half, but neither team were able to score before the break and while the Tigers arguably finished the stronger it was the back-to-back Super League champions who were quickest out of the blocks when play resumed.
St Helens got back on level terms just three minutes into the second half, but only after a lengthy review from video referee Chris Kendall looking at possible offsides from a kick in play, any hint of a knock-on from Mark Percival and whether Regan Grace was in touch in his attempt to keep the ball alive was the try from Roby - the only member of St Helens' last Challenge Cup-winning team still playing for the club - confirmed.
There was no doubt about the veracity of Makinson's try in the 51st minute though and it was created by last year's Super League Grand Final hero Jack Welsby, who scooped up a loose ball and went from left to right, drawing in the defence before setting up the winger for a trademark diving finish in the corner.
Full-back Coote, who will move Hull Kingston Rovers next season, kept the scoreboard ticking over with two penalties as the pressure started to tell on Castleford and the win was sealed two minutes from time when Cumbrian prop Amor forced his way over under the posts.
