AN afternoon that promised so much for Warrington Wolves ended in Wembley heartache.

Wigan Warriors left with the Challenge Cup as they capitalised on a very bad day at the office from their neighbours to lift the trophy.

Here's our Wire reporter Matt Turner's five key talking points from the game...

The big stage proves too big

This was not how it was supposed to end.

The story was pre-written – one of the game’s modern-day greats leading the competition’s great underachievers to glory at the first time of asking.

However, neither side read the script and Warrington picked the worst possible time for their poorest showing of the season.

For the record, there was no lack of effort. If anything, there was a little too much at times as Wire were pressured into frantic play by the scoreboard.

They needed cool heads, but those that were meant to provide them did not and too many of their key players had off-days.

When that happens against a champion side like Wigan, the story will only have one ending.

Frantic start sets the tone

When Wigan’s former Wire prop Mike Cooper was controversially dispatched to the sin bin after just two minutes, that should have been their cue to seize control.

However, their numerical advantage lasted precisely one tackle – rather than try and build pressure, they tried to cash in immediately and the loss of possession ended in Matt Dufty quickly following Cooper for a 10-minute rest.

Had they kept their heads in that situation, things may well have been different but it was one of a few examples of Warrington trying to force things too early.

In Wire’s defence, they came out of the frenetic opening with a narrow lead but any push to extend it was punctuated by errors with the ball and ill-discipline without it.

Composure comes too late

Perhaps the biggest victory for Warrington was that they were still in the game at half time.

Eventual Lance Todd Trophy winner Bevan French having a second try chalked off via a marginal video referee decision on the stroke of half time should have acted as a wake-up call.

By the time Wire finally did rouse from their slumber, it was too late.

The one period of the game in which they managed to build some pressure ended with Matt Dufty scoring their only try, which reduced the deficit to 10 points with 15 minutes to go.

If they had managed to score again quickly, they may have rattled Wigan enough to force a grandstand finish but that was as good as it got.

They have been razor-sharp and laser-focused for most of the year, but they were anything but here.

Grim final run continues

They say records are made to be broken, but not on this occasion.

Warrington still have not beaten Wigan in a national final, with the Lancashire Cup victory of 1980 standing alone among a raft of disappointments that now numbers 12.

Both now and historically, Wigan are the kind of winning machine Warrington aspire to be and the hope is they learn enough from this to make sure that, when their time comes again, they seize the moment.

Wigan now hold every piece of silverware available to them and cement themselves as the standard-bearers.

Recovery must be quick

The beauty of the Challenge Cup being moved earlier in the year is that it does not protrude too much into the campaign.

In seasons gone by, the Wembley final being in August has made competing on all fronts difficult but now, there is still more than half of the Super League season left.

Warrington are in a good position although the decision to effectively sacrifice last week’s Super League clash with their neighbours now looks a wrong one in hindsight.

This disappointment will take some recovering from, but there is not much time in which to do it.

With things very tight at the top, any sustained malaise could prove so costly.