IT was a game Warrington could ultimately have won.

But Sunday’s Challenge Cup semi-final loss to Hull FC was a game they did not deserve to win.

And that made the final hooter as the Wolves camped on the Black and Whites line in search of a game-tying try all the more heartbreaking.

For the departing Adrian Morley and Garreth Carvell there will be no Wembley swansong and for the fans, no showpiece final with arch rivals Wigan – in this competition at least!

Yet it all began so well.

With tries from Joel Monaghan and Trent Waterhouse Wolves had built an 8-0 lead in a dominant first 13 minutes.

Stefan Ratchford’s two missed goals from the touchline, to prove so crucial in the final reckoning, a mere aberration as the rampaging Wolves looked to be on cruise control for a fourth Wembley final date in five years.

But when Chris Bridge’s speculative cross-field kick – the first of a series of mistakes on a day to forget for the centre – was taken by Tom Lineham and finished 70 metres later, everything seemed to change.

Within minutes, the returning Daniel Holdsworth’s clever blind-side move put Richard Whiting over and Hull hit the front.

Their Black and White faithful were now dominating the noise inside Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium and Wolves were rattled.

Handling errors and penalties mounted and it was Warrington happy to see half time.

But even Tony Smith’s wise words failed to get Wolves going as the team lost its shape and the game plan – targeting young scrum half Jacob Miller’s suspect defence – fell apart.

Even after Aaron Heramia pounced on a terrific grubber kick from the increasingly influential Holdsworth to put FC two scores ahead, all was not lost.

But Ben Westwood failed to spot Micky Higham quickly enough following a quiet Lee Briers piece of magic while Chris Riley was unlucky to have a touchdown chalked off by the video referee.

Ben Currie breathed life back into the game but despite a frantic final two minutes, the composure needed was lacking.

As the Wolves players slumped to the turf at the end, the most sympathy went to Simon Grix.

Perhaps the most impressive player in Primrose and Blue in 2013, a Wembley appearance will elude him for a fourth time.

For the rest, perhaps without the exertions of Wembley, a first Grand Final victory may now be more likely.

And that will provide some much needed consolation in what will have been a tough week dreaming of what might have been.

INTERESTING NOTES

Wolves’ first defeat in a Challenge Cup semi final since loss to Wigan at Widnes in 2004

Wolves are yet to win a Challenge Cup semi final at Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium, having also lost there to Bradford Bulls in 2001

First meeting between Wolves and Hull in the Challenge Cup since a 10-4 quarter-final home loss in 1983, and first time they have contested a semi final of the competition

Hull, the last team to beat Wolves in Super League on May 17, ended Wolves’ eight-match winning sequence

Hull will go on to contest their first Challenge Cup Final since losing to St Helens at Wembley in 2008

MATCH FACTS

Challenge Cup semi final

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Hull FC...16 Warrington Wolves...12

Hull FC: Shannon McDonnell; Tom Lineham, Joe Arundel, Kirk Yeaman, Tom Briscoe; Daniel Holdsworth, Jacob Miller; Liam Watts, Danny Houghton, Mark O’Meley, Danny Tickle, Gareth Ellis, Joe Westerman. Subs: Andy Lynch, Jay Pitts, Richard Whiting, Aaron Heremaia.

Wolves: Brett Hodgson; Joel Monaghan, Chris Bridge, Simon Grix, Chris Riley; Lee Briers, Stefan Ratchford; Paul Wood, Micky Higham, Chris Hill, Ben Westwood, Trent Waterhouse, Mike Cooper. Subs: Adrian Morley, Michael Monaghan, Garreth Carvell, Ben Currie.

Scoring: Joel Monaghan try, 6mins, 0-4; Waterhouse try, 13mins, 0-8; Lineham try, 20mins, Tickle conversion, 6-8; Whiting try, 24mins, 10-8; Heremaia try, 50mins, Tickle conversion, 16-8; Currie try, 80+mins, 16-12.

Penalties: Hull 6 Wolves 9

Referee: Richard Silverwood

Attendance: 10,621

Top Man: Ben Westwood