DANNY Walker says it was a ‘bad day at the office’ and not a ‘Wire’ performance as they lost the Challenge Cup Final.

Orford-born Walker said he and his team mates were ‘gutted’ to lose 18-8 to their derby rivals.

And he said a completion rate of 60 per cent in the first half left them with little chance of winning the final.

He explained: “We played dumb, we have a Wire way and we didn’t play the Wire way.

“It is tough to take.

“We lost the game. We have done it all year where we have completed and got to our kicks.

“Put it in the corner and back our D. But we gave away penalties.

“We will get back on the training paddock and we have a good solid team here and we will come back fighting. And learn lessons for the back end of the year.”

He rejected suggestions the inexperienced Wire side froze on the big occasion.

He added: “For 12 of us, it was our first time in a final but I wouldn’t say we froze. We will move on and bounce back. It was a bad day at the office but unfortunately it has happened in a Challenge Cup Final.

“We didn’t play our game that we know we can play. We were completing at 60 per cent at half time and you are never going to win a final playing at 60 per cent.

“And then we were left trying to chase the game too much.

“Wigan are a championship team, Harry Smith put us in the corner and then we have to come out.

“I couldn’t tell you a time where we put them in the corner.”

And the hooker said the current Wire side is well position to recover from the setback.

“There is more than half a season left, it will be tough to recover but we have a good side.

“We will have a drink tonight and then get ready for Salford on Friday.”

And he paid tribute to the thousands of fans who made the pilgrimage to Wembley for the match.

“It is a special crowd and in the crisis we are in with money, Warrington and Wigan fans have come down in massive numbers and spent hundreds if not thousands of pounds and hopefully we have put on a decent show for them.”