Radford hails Houghton’s crucial Cup tackle
Hull FC coach Lee Radford has praised his team’s whole effort after they won the Challenge Cup at Wembley on Saturday, but also singled out one tackle in particular.
Danny Houghton pulled off a superb tackle on Warrington’s Ben Currie, late on, when a Wire try would have put the Wolves into the lead.
“If that’s the last one I make, I’ll die a happy man,” said Houghton, speaking about the tackle.
Radford was delighted with that defensive effort, and also hailed Hull FC owner Adam Pearson’s persistence in refusing to sack him as coach when the team were struggling last season.
“Danny Houghton‘s 52nd tackle of the game there on the try line was the most important tackle of anybody’s career in the city, I think!” Radford smiled, speaking to BBC Sport after the game.
“We knocked off Catalans, we knocked off Saints, we knocked off Wigan, and now we’ve just knocked off Warrington.
“I don’t think anyone can begrudge us taking this trophy home to Hull.
“I’m really proud for the owner – he’s financed this club when other people would have wrapped it, through some difficult circumstances.
“I’m so pleased for him [and his] stubborness, not to get rid of me through those tough times!
“I’m over the moon, I really am.
“We didn’t play pretty by any stretch.
“There were some periods in that game where we looked gone. But we found a bit, and the kicks towards the end was something we spoke out all week.
“To see them come to fruition was phenomenal.”
Radford also admitted he felt sympathy for Kurt Gidley, whose missed kicks at goal cost Warrington vital points.
“I feel for him because he’s champion player,” he said.
Marc Sneyd became Hull’s first player to win both the Lance Todd trophy and a winner’s medal in a Challenge Cup final.
The scrum half felt that it was the second half effort which won the cup for FC.
“It took us a while to get into that one,” he said.
“But we had the same reaction as when we played Wigan. We’ve gone in down at half-time, and not scored a try, and we’ve come out with a great attitude and rattled them a little bit, and we took our chances.”
Hull threequarter Mahe Fonua was pleased that the club had finally won a final at Wembley, and hailed the fans for their support.
“It’s good to put that hoodo to rest, and it’s good to be part of the team that did it,” he said.
“I’m happy! Being a young fella from Melbourne, and being a part of this – I know there’s heaps of history about this game, and I knew about the hoodoo, that they had never won here.
“It’s great to be a part of it. I’m happy to give to back to them [the fans].”