Wolves' Challenge Cup heroes in past clashes with Huddersfield Giants (From Warrington Guardian)

Warrington Wolves' Challenge Cup heroes in past clashes with Huddersfield Giants

1:30am Saturday 14th July 2012 in Wolves news By Mike Parsons

WOLVES’ 2010 Challenge Cup fifth round defeat of Huddersfield Giants is perhaps overshadowed by the Wembley win a year earlier but the performance that day remains the best yet under Tony Smith.

That is some statement consider-ing the dizzy heights reached last year en route to finishing top of the Super League table but May 8, 2010, was a golden day that may never be repeated.

And of the five meetings in the cup between Wolves and Giants over the past 30 years, it is definitely the performance to savour.

Huddersfield were flying high in the table at the time and smarting from their cup final defeat of the season before, so it was a tough ask for Wolves to come home from the Galpharm Stadium with the spoils.

But magnificent Wolves hardly put a foot wrong throughout the display and embarrassed Nathan Brown’s boys 60-4.

Chris Bridge was the main benefic-iary of a stunning team showing, crossing for the first and only five-try haul of his career so far against his first professional club.

He also had a hand in the hat-trick of tries scored by his winger Chris Hicks.

The 2009 showdown will never be forgotten for all the emotions surrounding a first Wembley win since 1974.

There was some concern going into the final when it was revealed that, due to injuries, New Zealander Vinnie Anderson would be asked to play stand off having never played in the role before for the club.

But they never looked back from the opening try touched down by Richie Mathers and the eventual match winner scored by that man Anderson.

There were routine preliminary round successes over lower division Huddersfield outfits in 1991 and 1988 but there was a memorable moment in 1984.

Prolific goal kicker Steve Hesford became the club’s leading points scorer of all time in the 34-16 Challenge Cup second-round win at Wilderspool Stadium – a game that was also his 300th for the club.

Hesford’s second goal of the game took him past Brian Bevan’s leading points total of 2,288.

The total eventually set by Hesford before he hung up his boots was only beaten last year by Lee Briers, no stranger to Challenge Cup heroics himself!