Tony Smith praised his side’s effort as they grafted to victory over Widnes.
A late Kurt Gidley penalty saw them advance to the last four of the Challenge Cup as they overcame the Vikings 20-18.
While Smith wasn’t completely satisfied with the performance, he had no qualms about his side’s determination.
“My boys tried their hearts out,” he said. “It wasn’t a classic or a pretty game, it was a grafting game, a war of attrition and the effort from both teams was enormous.
“The game had a bit of everything and kept people on the edge of their seats. We weren’t quite at our best by any means, but I’d put a lot of that down to Widnes. They came here for a game and we knew they would.
“There are areas we need to improve – I thought our kick-chase at the end was pretty average – but it’s good when you’ve got the desire to win when you’re not at your best.”
A full report will be in Monday’s League Express.
