HUDDERSFIELD 16, WARRINGTON 25

PARTY boy Lee Briers sparked the biggest booze-up Warrington has seen in for 35 years.

Not since 1974 have the game's great under-achievers been able to raise a glass to a Challenge Cup final win.

But the former Wales captain ended that agony with another amazing chapter in his love affair wih the Cup this season.

He had already written himself into fans' hearts with his quarter-final extra-time drop goal winner, followed by the emotional semi-final when he dedicated the win to his late brother.

But the 31-year-old can now expect free drinks for life around Warrington - and buying him the first pint was coach Tony Smith.

The Aussie said: "I thought Lee was very good, he kicked well, took on the opposition and his defence was outstanding. Lee is maturing and getting better.

"All the guys deserve to enjoy what they have achieved here. It is something special and they deserve to spend the next 24 or 36 hours enjoying it."

Briers' career has been dogged by stories of excessive drinking and partying and even he admits he's not always taken rugby as seriously as he should have done.

But, under new gaffer Smith, he's settled down and the results of his new-found approach had a sobering effect on shell-shocked Huddersfield.

Giants coach Nathan Brown said: "I have to take my hat off to Lee for the way he has turned his career around. I wish I didn't have to today, but I do.

"He has always been a talented player but he has wasted a lot of years. But through Tony Smith he has learned what hard work does for you."

Briers said: "It is awesome. My God, this place (Wembley) is electric. This one is for my brother and for Tony Smith, who is a legend and the best coach by a country mile."

Briers was shaded to the Lance Todd trophy for man of the match by team-mate Michael Monaghan. It was a double act that ripped the hearts out of the Giants.

They came into the the first summer era final that didn't involve any of the top four sides as slight favourites.

But they were made to look mugs in a devastating opening 15 minutes by the Wolves.

Just 68 seconds had ticked by when Warrington took the lead through full back Richie Mathers - another player finding a new lease of life under Smith. Giants captain Brett Hodgson was the culprit, with his kick from inside his own 20-metre line being charged down by Wolves forward Louis Anderson.

Hodgson recovered to make a try-saving tackle on Anderson but, from the next play, Wolves got the ball to Mathers to muscle over.

A rare Garreth Carvell mistake gave Huddersfield a lifeline which they grabbed with both hands. Hooker Shaun Lunt dived over after having an earlier effort harshly disallowed.

TOUCHDOWN - Warrington's Chris Hicks scores a try in the first half

But the Giants' joy was short-lived as the best defence in Super League surprisingly leaked two more quick-fire tries, from Monaghan and Chris Hicks.

The latter was crafted out a moment of brilliance from Briers, when his kick early in the tackle count caught the Giants defence cold.

The magic of the moment failed to ease Giants coach Brown's dark mood, however, as he watched his side hand the Wolves a lead they never recovered.

He said: "We had a fair few people who were not playing their best, especially in some key positions, which is disappointing.

"Maybe the occasion has got to a few people and it is different when you have 80,000 watching and there is so much at stake.

"Our defence wasn't good and we leaked a couple of easy tries.

"But our attack was pretty poor too and it never looked like getting going. At the end of the day we did not play well enough. We didn't deserve to win."

Huddersfield's Cup drought was even worse than Warrington's, with their last Cup glory coming back in 1953.

But the experience of losing to St Helens three years ago was expected to stand them in better stead than Warrington, who have been strangers to any finals, let alone success, for 19 years.

It was a hope that blew up in the Giants' faces in that opening spell and did not improve for the rest of the game, despite at times greater possession and territory.

Brett Hodgson made amends with a try just before the break to cut the Wolves lead to eight points and they continued to press in the second half.

But Monaghan came up with a superb pass to send in Vinnie Anderson for a killer 60th-minute try to put the game beyond Huddersfield.

Monaghan said: "To win the Challenge Cup is something special and we wie

ll remember it for ever. I cannot really believe we have won it - it is a great day for the club."

Smith added: "We have lifted our game in each round and put in a really good performance here. It does not matter what the coach says, it is the guys on the field who do it.

"We had our moments when we were under pressure but our defence was outstanding. Our defence hasn't been great but we found something today."

To Huddersfield's credit, they refused to give in and winger David Hodgson grabbed a late consolation try. But the final say just had to go to Briers, with a drop goal to spark a party that's probably still going on.

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