Cas secure derby victory over Trinity

Head Coach Daryl Powell named an unchanged back line from the side that defeated St. Helens a week previous, however, George Griffin and Nathan Massey were both brought in to start in the forward pack. Jesse Sene-Lefao made his 150th career appearance on the night, a fantastic milestone and achievement for the forward!

Gareth O’Brien kicked the ball high into the rainy West Yorkshire sky to get the contest underway, and it was Castleford who had the first serious attacking opportunity of the game four minutes in. The hosts were presented with some good field position after a knock on from Trinity, Niall Evalds then cut away from a defender before handing the ball to Paul McShane just a couple of metres from the line. The reigning Man of Steel made a burst for the goal line, however, wasn’t able to get the ball down as some strong Wakefield defending held the hooker up.

Castleford kept the tempo high as Danny Richardson forced Trinity into a drop out with a dribbling kick forward. The Fords then made the most of the opportunity as they took the play beautifully through the hands to Evalds who timed his pass out to Greg Eden on the touchline perfectly for the winger to dive over in the corner. Richardson did brilliantly to slot his kick through the posts from out wide to make it 6-0 with just 9 minutes gone.

Just a few minutes later and the Fords onslaught kept coming as they claimed their second try of the night. Sene-Lefao set the Tigers up with a burst for the line before Cas unlocked the door on the last as Richardson released Oliver Holmes who smashed through to score. Richardson then made it 2 from 2 with his conversion.

A loose pass from Grant Millington inside his own twenty presented the visitors which a great chance to attack the Cas line. After Lee Kershaw was denied in the corner, it was an accurate chip through the line which allowed Tinirau Arona to pounce on the ball and cut the deficit. Mason Lino knocked his kick over from in front of the posts.

With just under half an hour gone an error from Tom Johnstone on his own line as he spilt a high kick from O’Brien put his own side under pressure. Cas kept attacking the try line through the likes of Nathan Massey and that consistent attacking from the Tigers forced Wakefield into a penalty. Richardson elected to kick and made no mistake once again from the tee to stretch his team’s advantage.

The scrum half was then involved in an incident with Wakefield’s #7 Lino as it looked like the Trinity man had taken a cheap shot at Richardson, the referee then adjudged that both were to be given a yellow and sent to the sin bin.

Castleford got the breathing space they wanted seven minutes before the break after a Suaia Matagi barge through the middle got the hosts inside Wakefield territory. The Tigers attacked the right edge and the electric Evalds was the creator as the flicked the ball out wide to Derrell Olpherts to skid over in the corner. O’Brien was on kicking duties with Richardson in the bin, although the half-back sent his conversion wide for the scores to stay at 18-6.

With the clock ticking ever closer to half-time the Fords added another point to the scoreboard. Liam Watts and Matagi brought Castleford to within 10 metres of the goal line. The ball was then quickly fired out to Richardson, who was back on the field after his enforced spell on the side-line, and the scrum half booted the one pointer through the posts for the scores to read 19-6 at half-time.

It was the visitors who had the best look at the opposition line in the opening moments of the second 40. Trinity took the play left and the dangerous Tom Johnstone looked to be in for the score, however, the winger decided to pass to teammate Max Jowitt and the full-back was denied by an unbelievable recovering tackle from Watts centre metres from the try line.

Wakefield were punished for not taking that opening as two minutes later Castleford extended their lead even further. Richardson’s looping pass out to the far touchline was met by the hands of Eden who raced over from 10 metres out for the wing’s sixth try in three games. Richardson couldn’t add the extras as his kick went wide for the Tigers to have a 23-6 lead.

Trinity were trying their hardest to get back into the game but found themselves struggling to break the Tigers’ defence down. Lino tried his luck with a chip on the last but was quelled by the covering Evalds, which was then shortly followed by a fumble forward from Jay Pitts five metres out after a six again call.

Wakefield did get their try with 20 minutes remaining after a high boot from Jacob Miller caused havoc and the ball bounced fortuitously into the hands of Johnstone who barrelled his way over. Lino converted to take the visitors within eleven points of the Tigers.

Trinty had their tales up and smelt the chance to close the scores even further. David Fifita made a dig for the line but was denied by a big Cas defensive effort, and then fortunately for the hosts the pressure was lifted after a sloppy pass from Wakefield was knocked on.

Powell’s men got some respite inside the opposition 20 after Kershaw spilt forward from O’Brien’s high kick. Cas looked to have the extra man on the right edge as they brought the ball out to the near side, but Olpherts couldn’t keep hold of the ball on the touchline after receiving a pass from Evalds.

Shortly after the Tigers passed up a fantastic scoring opportunity after a rampaging break from Richardson who passed towards Evalds with the full-back in the clear but the #1 couldn’t gather and knocked forward.

Five minutes from time and Wakefield made it a grandstand finish at The Jungle as Lino’s kick towards the right-hand side on the last was patted up into the air by Eden and Kershaw was in the right place at the right time to collect it and touch down. Lino was accurate with his conversion to make it a five-point game.

With just a handful of seconds to go there was a heart wrenching moment for Castleford fans as a high kick was spilt backwards by Jordan Turner towards the goal line area, however, Eden stretched out to slap the ball away just before a Wakefield hand could get to it. The final hooter then blew for the Tigers to claim their 16th straight victory over their bitter rivals!

Full-time: Castleford Tigers 23–18 Wakefield Trinity

Castleford: Evalds, Olpherts, Mata’utia, Turner, Eden, O’Brien, Richardson, Griffin, McShane, Millington, Holmes, Sene-Lefao, Massey

Interchanges: Watts, Blair, Hepi, Matagi

Tries: Eden x2, Holmes, Olpherts

Goals: Richardson (4/6), O’Brien (0/1)

Sin bin: Richardson

Wakefield: Jowitt, Kershaw, Arundel, Senior, Johnstone, Miller, Lino, Fifita, Walker, Arona, Ashurst, Pitts, Tanginoa

Interchanges: Kay, Battye, Batchelor, Green

Tries: Arona, Johnstone, Kershaw

Goals: Lino (3/3)

Sin Bin: Lino

Golden Gamble Winning Number: 16159