Tigers fall to Giants defeat

Due to a number of First Team players being unavailable due to Covid-19 and return to play protocols, Daryl Powell was forced to pick an unfamiliar looking matchday squad.

The line-up on paper was very different to the side that took the field with Michael Shenton and Paul McShane starting the game in the halfs instead of Cain Robb and Daniel Smith who were listed to play there on the team sheet. New loan signings Jimmy Keinhorst and Jake Sweeting, who joined the club over the weekend, were picked on the bench.

Paul McShane got the West Yorkshire derby underway, and the Tigers had to defend early on as they were forced into a drop out in the opening moments of the contest. From the resulting set Oliver Wilson attempted to barge over but the prop was held up well by the Cas defence and on the last a chip through from Oliver Russell had too much power on it and went out of play.

Cas then turned defence into attack soon after as a penalty gave them strong field position inside the Giants 20. Niall Evalds made a drive for the line before McShane’s kick was gathered well by Ashton Golding on the try line.

Huddersfield opened the scoring 9 minutes in as two penalties conceded in quick succession by the Tigers put them under severe pressure near their own goal line. The ball was popped up to Leroy Cudjoe 10 metres from the line and the centre stepped passed Evalds to crash over. Stand-off Russell was successful with the first conversion of the match.

Immediately the hosts tried to respond as the Wheldon Road crowd roared them on and it was some quick hands from McShane which released Cheyse Blair down the left-hand side. The #12 made a burst for the corner, however, he was challenged just a couple of metres short and slid out of play.

The Fords were then rewarded for their adventurous attacking play when they levelled the game with 15 minutes on the clock. Man of Steel McShane kick a ball through over the try line and the #9 chased his own kick and managed to touch it down himself. He then made no mistake from the conversion to level the scores at 6 points each.

It was then Huddersfield’s turn to have some possession inside the Cas half and a couple of six again calls got them further into Castleford territory. The Giants were clinical again as youngster Will Pryce found a perfectly timed pass for Cudjoe to race onto and the centre strolled over unopposed to get his second of the game. Russell was accurate with the conversion for the second time on the night.

Cas struggled to keep Huddersfield at arm’s length as they found themselves defending their line once again. With 28 minutes gone Giants were in again and this time it was interchange Nathaniel Peteru who was able to bulldoze his way over on the final tackle. Russell added the extras to extend the visitors lead to 18 points to 6.

The two sides traded sets before Huddersfield were given an opportunity to kick at goal after Brad Graham was penalised on the edge of the Tigers’ 20 metre line. Russell lined up the kick and slotted the ball between the posts for the scores to read 6-20 at the break.

Captain Michael Shenton tried his best to get Cas off to a positive start in the second-half as he made a quick dash at dummy half inside the Giants’ 20 metre line. Alex Foster was slowed down as the ball was presented and attempted to shoot for the line himself, although the #17 was brought down four metres out.

A penalty for offside against Huddersfield on the halfway line gave new signing Sweeting the chance to kick to touch and get Cas up the field. They made the most of the opening as some lovely hands from the likes of Evalds and Blair made space for Brad Graham to score his first Super League try in the corner. McShane sliced his conversion attempt wide from the touchline, but the scores closed to a 10-point game with 48 minutes gone.

Frustratingly just a few minutes later a call against the Tigers presented Russell another opportunity to attempt a kick at goal. The Giants stand off kept his 100 percent record from the tee as he kicked through the posts to give the visitors a 12-point buffer.

Huddersfield looked to be in for another score just before the hour mark with Luke Yates cutting through the middle of the field with the try line in his sights. The loose forward looked clear to score, however, a fantastic recovering tackle from Evalds was enough to dislodge the ball from Yates’ grasp.

A perfectly place kicked in behind from McShane put Golding under pressure as debutant Jimmy Keinhorst tackled the full-back to force a drop out. Cas were then awarded a penalty from the following set for a high shot on Cain Robb as they inched ever closer to the line. Evalds took the play out to the left and gave the ball to Keinhorst who had a dig at the line but mishandled.

A minute later and unfortunately Cas were punished as a crash ball given to Yates was made the most of by the loose forward to extend Giants’ lead. Russell made no mistake from the conversion.

With the game getting ever closer to the final whistle, the visitors put another try on the scoreboard as an offload out wide was received by Jermaine McGillvary and the winger skidded over by the corner flag. Russell kicked the conversion from out on the touchline.

The Tigers were not giving in however as they attacked the Huddersfield line late on. Some quick play out to the far side allowed Sweeting to scoot over from close in to claim a try on his first game for Castleford since his loan move from Featherstone. McShane was on kicking duties again and converted for the match to finish 16-34 to the Giants.

Full-time: Castleford Tigers 16–34 Huddersfield Giants

Castleford: Evalds, Olpherts, Blair, Shenton, Graham, Robb, Smith, Massey, McShane, Hall, Martin, Peachey, Foster

Interchanges: Matagi, Bienek, Keinhorst, Sweeting

Tries: McShane, Graham, Sweeting

Goals: McShane (2/3)

Huddersfield: Golding, McGillvary, Wardle, Cudjoe, Senior, Russell, Pryce, Trout, Peats, Wilson, Wood, McQueen, Yates

Interchanges: English, Hewitt, Ashall-Bott, Peteru

Tries: Cudjoe x2, Peteru, Yates, McGillvary

Goals: Russell (7/7)