TONY Smith says Warrington Wolves were unable to keep up the tempo following a fast start to the Challenge Cup semi final, which saw them beaten 26-18 by Hull KR at Headingley.

Ryan Atkins crossed after 74 seconds to put Wolves ahead, but it took until the second half and going 20-6 behind for Warrington to cross again.

Warrington also lost Ben Harrison to concussion early on and Gene Ormsby to a broken jaw in the second half.

Richie Myler’s score and another for Ben Currie soon after closed the gap to two points before Shaun Lunt’s late try, but Smith says Hull KR deserved to reach the final.

“I thought we had a bright start and lost some of the control of the match. We lost the tempo of the game and it suited Hull KR,” said Wolves’ head of coaching and rugby.

“They slotted into the tempo very well and controlled it. There were a lot of stoppages and we wanted it to flow, to be fast.

“It wasn’t to be, but I’m giving them credit for playing to the situation and they deserved to win that match.

“I felt we didn’t make those adjustments, when there were stoppages, video referee checks and video referee checks for scrums as well.

“There were some new experiences, when you’ve got to see who feeds the scrum now. We what would have liked that a few more times, to see if a few more should have been scrums or penalties.”

Smith also believes Wolves’ defence was not up to the standard of recent weeks.

“We made hard work of some of our defence,” he added. “They are an opportunist team, they’ve got some dangerous players.

“Our defence has been much-improved in recent times but we let slip a few that we’d consider a bit soft.

“I congratulate both the two teams (Leeds and Hull KR) for making it there (the final), we’re envious of them but it’s not to be.”

Lunt’s late try went to the video referee, and Smith said he felt it should not have stood.

“There are a lot of things that I thought were different interpretations but you could say that every week,” he explained. “It’s a shame there’s controversy each and every week but that’s not my complaint today.

“We didn’t handle the situation as well as we needed to.”

Harrison will be checked out throughout the week, while Ormsby has been sent to hospital for an operation on his jaw.

Regarding losing the pair, Smith added: “I’m not going to insinuate anything illegal has happened, that’s not my job to do.

“It hurts, it’s not the difference between the two teams today but it makes you keep players and young guys on a little longer than you’d planned for.

“We would have had a different rotation, but that’s the contest of rugby league on some days – usually the days that count and that’s why knockout rugby league can be so exciting.

“That’s why you get the upsets, if we were deemed to be the favourites, and on other days you cope with those situations and still win, not today.

“We weren’t good enough to do that today and all credit to Hull KR. Sometimes that underdog tag can take you a long way.”

Smith also felt Rovers’ kicking game, in particular that of Albert Kelly, was far better than his own side’s on a wet pitch at Headingley.

“Their kicking game was one of the aspects they were better at, some of our final plays weren’t terrific,” he said.

“Even when we put them under pressure, we didn’t take a few opportunities in that first 20 minutes we could have got a few tries ahead at that stage.

“When we missed out on those opportunities, we didn’t quite take any by getting a repeat set or with them under the sort of pressure they should have been.”