Former Leeds Rhinos star Luke Gale man of the match as Wakefield Trinity win 1895 Cup at Wembley

The nine-try triumph ended Trinity’s 61-year wait to win at the national stadium, in their first appearance there since a Challenge Cup final loss to Widnes in 1979. Trinity’s previous major silverware was the second tier Championship in 1998, beginning a stay in Super League which was ended by relegation last year.

Wakefield will probably feel that was worth it for afternoons like this. They had a scare when Sheffield went ahead early on, but full-time fitness told in a one-sided second half. Wakefield have looked a class apart from their Betfred Championship rivals so far this year and more silverware in the Grand Final seems odds on at this stage.

After Sheffield had made the more confident start, back-to-back tries edged Trinity ahead and a converted touchdown after the half-time hooter put them in control. A fourth score ended the game as a contest at the start of the second period and from then on the only question was how many Wakefield would win by.

Eagles went ahead after 15 minutes through a brilliant finish from Anthony Thackeray, who stepped through from 10 metres out. Cory Aston landed the conversion to make it 6-0, but that was as good as it got for the 2019 winners.

Eagles were pressing strongly when Trinity levelled eight minutes later. Jack Hansen’s pass was tapped into the air by Lachlan Walmsley who made the catch with clear country ahead and held off Ben Jones-Bishop’s spirited chase on an 80-metre sprint to the line.

Max Jowitt’s goal squared the scores and Wakefield were ahead moments later. Aston’s kick-off sailed out on the full and in the resulting set Gale went through a huge gap from acting-half Liam Hood’s pass, Jowitt again adding the extras. It looked like Trinity would go in with a 12-6 lead, but in the final seconds of the half Eagles turned the ball over near their own line and Thomas Doyle plunged over after the hooter sounded to open a 12-point gap.

What hope Sheffield had at that stage evaporated within two minutes of the restart following yet another mistake, this time by Jones-Bishop, who was playing against one of his former clubs. From that, Jowitt sent Oliver Pratt over at the corner for the first of three tries in 10 minutes.

Josh Griffin bumped off Aston to power over and then Pratt scored his second, from a pass by Gale. Jowitt booted two conversions and it was 34-6 after 52 minutes. Jermain McGillvary went over on 61 and 73 minutes - the second a remarkable finish - either side of Griffin’s second touchdown, on 65.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, McGillvary, Thornley, Pratt, Walmsley, Gale, Lino, Bowden, Hood, Atoni, Ashurst, Griffin, Pitts. Sus Kay, Uele, Rodwell, Doyle.

Sheffield Eagles: Hansen, Jones-Bishop, Welham, Glover, Dawson-Jones, Aston, Thackeray, Battye, Halahifi, Dickinson, Bower, Farrell, Gwaze. Subs Wood, Sene-Lefao, Murphy Clark.

Referee: Tom Grant (Leeds).