ONCE the adrenaline had stopped pumping and Justin Holbrook had time to reflect, the Saints boss heaped the credit on Hull for making Sunday’s game so tense.

There was initially, immediately post match, some disappointment about they way Saints had struggled to shake off the dogged back-to-back Challenge Cup holders.

And even some key players felt it was a below par display, despite the thrills.

But Holbrook chose to look at in the context of it being a cup tie against an opposition prepared to fight tooth and nail to retain their crown.

He said: “It was a real high quality opposition that we played on Sunday.

“We wanted to play great, win and win well, but credit to Hull.

“They showed why they have won it the past two years because they really stepped it up.

“I thought we played great too, and in that first 20 minutes we did some quality things, but then let them back in and had fight hard to regain control of that game.

“We tried to kick clear but never could.

“Rather than criticise ourselves, I think it was Hull who didn’t let us do it.

“We have to accept that and be really happy that we won the game.”

Much had been made of Hull’s absentees ahead of the game - but four of those returned to the fray on Sunday and made their presence felt.

“We knew they would have some back – but they got four back – Scott Taylor, Albert Kelly, Bureta Faraimo and Carlos Tuimavave.

“It was misleading if people watched them play Warrington the week before.

“The Hull we faced were not the same as that – four quality players back in, plus they have won the cup two years in a row so they know the feelings of winning at Wembley and so that is going to lift your players to play at their best.

“The standard really rose.”

Saints looked home and hosed at 25-12, but their failure to execute two glorious opportunities threw the game back into the melting pot.

However, Holbrook believes his team did not clock off - in fact he said the opposite was the case.

“I don’t think we relaxed, I think we probably tried to play too much when we were in front.

“We made a couple of errors too,” he said.