Wakefield coach Chris Chester hopes for happy return to Wembley

Wakefield coach Chris Chester admits the circumstances are uncannily similar as he attempts to steer an unfancied team to Wembley for the second year in a row.

Twelve months on from guiding Hull KR to a shock 26-18 Ladbrokes Challenge Cup semi-final triumph over Warrington, Chester aims to repeat the feat with equally unfashionable Wakefield against the same opponents at Leigh Sports Village on Saturday afternoon.

Hull KR went into last year's semi-final on the back of a four-match losing run, including a 52-12 mauling at St Helens, before beating the Wolves at Headingley and the Wildcats have won just one of their four Super League games since beating Huddersfield in the quarter-finals.

"There is a little bit of deja vu," Chester said.

While Warrington have tasted Wembley glory three times in the last eight years, it is 53 years since Wakefield's last cup success and 37 years since they last reached the final.

Wakefield born and bred, Chester still lives in the city and admits it would be a thrill to lead them out at Wembley in his first season at the helm but says it would be especially rewarding for chairman Michael Carter after he brought the club back from the brink of financial ruin.

"Personally, it would be great to lead my home-town club out at Wembley," he said. "I know, as a supporter myself, what the club has gone through over the last 10 or 15 years.

"We've finally got someone at the club who has put it on a sound financial footing - it's being run like a proper business - and I'm pleased for Michael that he gets a taste of semi-final football and who knows what can happen.

"I was one-year-old the last time we got to the cup final and the last time we got to the semi-finals, at Doncaster in 2008, I actually went to watch. It's been a long time since this club has been involved in big games and we're going to make the most of it. Our fans are really excited, as are the players."