Watching Warrington lift trophy made me feel sick, admits St Helens centre Mark Percival
Warrington beat St Helens 18-4 to lift the Challenge Cup
Sunday 25 August 2019 18:14, UK
St Helens centre Mark Percival forced himself to watch Warrington go up to lift the Challenge Cup trophy after experiencing a defeat which casts further doubt over the team's ability to win big games.
The runaway Super League leaders went into Saturday's Coral Challenge Cup final as the hottest favourites for years but left Wembley empty-handed after falling to a surprise 18-4 defeat by neighbours Warrington.
The Wolves rode their luck early on, with both Percival and Morgan Knowles having tries disallowed, before eventually getting on top and running out worthy winners.
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"I'm devastated," Percival said. "I made myself watch them lift the cup because it made me feel sick.
"We had a good week, we trained well and did all the right things but just came up short.
"There were a few calls. I thought I scored, the ball got ripped so I don't get how that's not a try.
"And Morgan has grounded it clear a yard before the dead-ball line, why wouldn't you check that on a TV game?
"If that try gets given, they're going to be six points behind early on and that puts doubt in their minds.
"But we don't want to make any excuses. We weren't good enough. I thought we did well to get back into the game in the second half but we lost too much energy.
"When you're behind, you're trying to chase the game and that's never a good sign."
Knowles, one of several players brought back after being rested in the run-up to Wembley, says he was bewildered by referee Robert Hicks' failure to refer his try claim to the video official.
Slow-motion replays, shown on the big screen at half-time, appeared to demonstrate the Wales international grounded the ball before it went dead, but Hicks had no hesitation in giving the Wolves a 20-metre restart.
"I'm bewildered," Knowles said. "I can't see why he wouldn't send it up.
"But it's done. it still doesn't win us the game. Credit to Warrington, they were the better team on the day."
St Helens still have a chance to give coach Justin Holbrook a fitting send-off by winning the Grand Final, but Percival admits Saturday's result, coupled with two semi-final defeats in 2018, leaves question marks over their performances in big games.
"People have got the right to say it because there's a couple of big games there," the England international said. "I've won one Grand Final in seven seasons and that's not enough."
