Wembley Stadium was half red and white and half primrose and blue as solid favourites Hull KR looked for their first Challenge Cup win since the 1979-80 season as they faced an out of form Warrington Wolves looking to emulate their 2019 victory.

The sides met just a fortnight ago in the Super League with a massive 31-12 win, Warrington languishing in eighth place in the table while Hull KR are clear leaders with just one loss all season.

Warrington brushed aside the challenges of Whitehaven, Widnes, St Helens, and Leigh on their way to the final, Hull KR going past York Knights, Oldham, Hull FC and the Catalans Dragons, the neutrals were hoping for a close game.

There was plenty of bluster in the opening exchanges, but as the heavens opened the first decision of the day was sent to the video referee on ten. The fourth official ruled a Roderick Tai ball steal and backed up the referee’s No Try decision on what would have been the Warrington opener.

With the game in stalemate on twenty-three, the Robins took the opportunity to kick a penalty goal after a high tackle from Ben Currie- Mikey Lewis slotted the ball between the uprights for a 2-0 lead.

It was a close game, defences on top, as the half hour approached.

Two minutes before the interval it was Warrington who breached their opponent’s line first. A deflected Marc Sneyd kick went into the hands of Josh Thewlis as the ball looped towards the touchline, the winger gathering the ball and sliding over in the corner. Sneyd added the touchline conversion in the pouring rain to send his side into the break with a four-point lead.

In the opening ten minutes of the second half Hull KR had been trying all the moves and all the tricks but nothing was coming off for them in tricky conditions.

Mikey Lewis knocked on in the tackle on his own line on fifty as the Warrington tacklers tried to drag him dead in goal. Lewis made up at the end of the six with a sensational goal line drop out, finding touch forty from the Warrington line.

Following a set restart inside the Wolves ten, a chip to goal was easily diffused by Tai as the attack broke down.

Warrington’s nerve was holding firm as the game headed for the last ten minutes, the panic starting to set in for the Hull KR players.

A Sneyd 20-40 on seventy-four relieved the pressure on the Wolves defence but with three minutes remaining a grubber to the right corner wasn’t cleared and as the ball came loose it was grounded by a flying Tom Davies. The video referee was consulted and controversially ruled that Lindop had not grounded the ball with his torso, awarding the try. Lewis kicked the conversion to put his side into the lead for the first time at 8-6.

Forty-five years of hurt have ended for Hull KR, winners of the Challenge Cup for the first time since 1980, as they came through in the closing stages to snatch the win in a game which they looked like losing after a sensational Warrington performance. It was a close game which neither side really deserved to lose, Warrington’s hearts broken, KR's full of joy as their friends went crazy.

Marc Sneyd was named Lance Todd Trophy winner for the third time, a player of the losing side picking up the award.

Warrington Wolves: Dufty, Thewlis Josh (T), Tai, King, Lindop, Williams, Sneyd (G 1/1), Yates, Powell, Vaughan, Fitzgibbon, Holroyd, Currie.  Subs: Harrison, Crowther, Philbin, Ratchford. 18^th Man:  Wood.

Hull KR: Broadbent, Davies (T), Hiku, Batchelor, Burgess, Lewis (2/2), May, Sue, McIlorum, Waerea-Hargreaves, Whitehead, Hadley, Minchella. Subs: Luckley, Litten, Tanginoa, Brown. 18^th Man: Doro.

Half-Time: 6-2.

Full-Time: 6-8.

Score Progression: 0-2, 4-2, 6-2 : HT: 6-6, 6-8 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: KR – Warrington – Square - KR.

Referee: Liam Moore.