WEMBLEY // St Helens killed off a stirring Hull fightback to snatch the Carnegie Challenge Cup for a third successive year at Wembley as they triumphed 28-16 last night. Hull had sensed one of the great cup final shocks after overcoming a disjointed first half to take a 12-10 lead with 15 minutes remaining. But Francis Meli scored his second of the afternoon before Jon Wilkin and Leon Pryce followed him over late on, Saints just had enough to hold off their battling opponents.
Saints had to overcome an early setback themselves as the luckless Paul Sculthorpe suffered yet more personal heartache. The former Great Britain skipper, who is to leave the club at the end of the season after more than a decade of outstanding service, had battled hard to prove his fitness after three injury-ravaged years. Yet his first Wembley appearance lasted barely 90 seconds as he was hurt in a collision and led from the field with a suspected dislocated shoulder.
The holders seemed in little danger before the break and should have led by more but had to settle for 10-0 after tries from Matt Gidley and Meli. They were forced to dig deep as Hull made a blistering start to the second half with Kirk Yeaman crossing twice, but class eventually told as Saints secured the cup for a fourth time in five years. The Saints full-back Paul Wellens, who shared the award with Pryce last year, was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for man of the match.
Hull's defeat prolonged their bad record at Wembley having lost five times and drawn once on their previous visits. Yet some may consider justice to have been done after the Yorkshire side escaped suspension for playing an ineligible player, Jamie Thackray, in the early rounds. * PA Sport Saints were hardly disrupted as Wellens broke following a scrum deep in Hull territory and put Gidley through a gap on the right to open the scoring after seven minutes.
Hull tried to respond but Yeaman knocked on in a promising position and Ade Gardner went close to a second for Saints. Horne entered the fray after 16 minutes and was immediately targeted, the stand-off being flattened by James Graham on his first touch and given similar rough treatment by Leon Pryce on his second. Shaun Berrigan tried to engineer an opening but Todd Byrne could not gather his kick and Saints brilliantly turned defence into attack as Meli broke from deep to score.
Sean Long added his first conversion and Hull's defensive vulnerability seemed certain to cost them again before half-time. Saints attacked after Washbrook lost possession but Hull somehow held out as Gardner was stopped short by Gareth Raynor and Willie Talau was denied by a forward pass. Meli went close again just before the break but the video referee determined Byrne had done just did enough to force him into touch with a last-ditch tackle.
Things appeared to be getting worse for Hull as their promising 18-year-old centre Tom Briscoe, the youngest cup finalist for 14 years, was carried off with a leg injury within three minutes of the restart. But the Black and Whites were soon back in the game as Yeaman intercepted from Keiron Cunningham - who was playing his eighth cup final - to race the length of the field for a try converted by Danny Tickle.
That blip aside, the Saints defence remained resolute as Hull tried to spark an unlikely comeback. Long thought he had put Saints further ahead but his dash to the corner was ruled out for obstruction. The game was becoming far more tightly contested but Hull broke through just after the hour as Yeaman crashed over for his second try from a Willie Manu pass. Tickle held his nerve to add the extras from the left and put Hull in sight of a famous victory.
Yet it was far too early to write Saints off, and Daniel Anderson's men were suddenly jolted into action. They powered forward and, after Cunningham was stopped just short, Pryce brilliantly stepped around Horne out wide and put Meli over for his second. Long, ever the man for the big occasion, converted to give Saints a four-point lead. Hull had given everything in a fine second-half effort but their hopes were extinguished seven minutes from time as Wilkin charged down Washbrook's kick and broke away to score under the posts.
Yeaman put Raynor over in the corner late on as Hull battled to the end but the glory was just beyond them. Pryce wrapped up matters as the clock ran down, with Long kicking his fourth goal.
