Challenge Cup final: Wigan 'belong in history' after historic 20th Cup win

Wigan deserve their place in history after winning the Challenge Cup for a 20th time, says Warriors head coach Matty Peet.

Liam Marshall's late score gave them a narrow 16-14 win over Huddersfield Giants in a thrilling game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Peet is in his first season as Wigan boss after taking over from Adrian Lam.

"If we invest in this period and learn from it, it can take us to another level as a team," Peet told BBC Sport.

"I know that our team will belong in history. It's only the teams that perform in the big occasions that get remembered properly.

"That moment, the end of the game is what people will remember, it doesn't matter what happened before that. We've spoken all week that it wouldn't be the perfect game but it will be the perfect moment. That's how it turned out."

Following the win, Peet paid tribute to former Wigan and Rugby Football League chairman Maurice Lindsay, who died earlier in May at the age of 81.

"We stand on the shoulders of a lot of outstanding people. Maurice is rightly being spoken about at the moment. What he did drove the club to new heights and I think it's poignant that we can do this," Peet added.

"There are lots of nice stories to come out of this game. It is our 150th year, our 20th Challenge Cup trophy, [Wigan owner] Ian Lenagan's 15th year and [winning for] Maurice Lindsay.

"What we're doing is a good path to success. You're never finished when you win but the culture is 100% live and we need to keep the relationship between the group."

Better side lost - Watson

Huddersfield were four minutes away from lifting the Challenge Cup before Marshall darted over into the corner and their long, 69-year wait to lift the trophy goes on.

Ian Watson was on the losing end as a coach for the second time in his career, after suffering another agonising defeat for Salford against Leeds two years ago at Wembley.

"It is massively tough to take," he said. "The boys put in an enormous shift and I thought we were outstanding as a group. We were the best team for large parts of the game but we have not got what we deserved today. It is worse than the other time because they have deserved it."

Asked if the better side lost the final, Watson said: "I do think that. That is what hurts because of how much effort they have put in and it comes down to one moment in the game where they caught us and that is what big games are about."

Full-back Tui Lolohea has been one of the Huddersfield's outstanding players this season but he missed four kicks.

And Watson also pointed to the the first-half loss of prop Chris Hill, twice a winner of the competition with Warrington, with a calf injury as being crucial.

"Goal kickers will always get labelled and we still could have won the game without that," Watson added.

"I have had a good chat with Tui and he will be beating himself but there are other situations where we lost the game rather than just be focussing in on the kicking.

"Chris Hill is huge and people with that level of experience are massive in these games. He was outstanding and was killing it but to lose him was a big blow. If he came back on for a second spell he might have given us that composure to dominate the field position again.

"I can't say it is not going to affect them, they are going to be a bit sore but what we have to do now is bounce back quickly and show everybody what we are about as a club. This has got to be the start of something good for Huddersfield, to build a platform for going forward."

Forward Chris McQueen went over with a mesmerising dummy to give the Giants a 10-6 half-time lead, which they failed to convert, and the Lance Todd award was of no consolation.

"Disappointed but extremely proud of the effort the boys put in, we didn't deserve what we got today," McQueen said.

"We were on it for 99% but a few little moments cost us. I certainly don't feel like we were the worst side.

"If you ask anyone who has won man of the match in a losing team they will give that back for the other trophy. I would prefer the other one."

• Sign up for live match notifications on the BBC Sport app