Tigers topple Trinity
Read our match report as the Tigers claim their 17th consecutive victory over Wakefield Trinity!
Castleford Tigers emphatically secured their 17th win on the spin over Wakefield Trinity with a superb 34-4 victory on Thursday night at the Be Well Support Stadium.
Lee Radford was forced into making changes from Castleford’s previous game at Hull KR due to Jordan Turner and Bureta Faraimo picking up injuries. A total of four new faces came into the starting line-up with Derrell Olpherts, Mahe Fonua, Adam Milner, and Liam Watts all being chosen to start the game.
Trinity full back Max Jowitt got the fixture underway in perfect conditions in Wakefield and in the opening stages Castleford were presented the opportunity to get themselves on the front foot after the hosts were penalised for an illegal rip on Fonua. A couple of fantastic carries from Milner and Watts brought the Fords within 10 of the line, Gareth O’Brien then delicately clipped a kick to the right-hand side which Jake Mamo gathered, although the centre was then held up.
Cas then kept the tempo high as they managed to keep Trinity camped in their own half and eventually forced a penalty in the ninth minute for a high shot on Joe Westerman. Scrum half Gareth O’Brien asked for the kicking tee and slotted his conversion through the posts from 15 metres out to nudge the Tigers ahead.
Just a couple of minutes later Castleford were rewarded for their endeavour as they took the play left. Jake Trueman was forced to tip the ball on quickly which dropped to the floor, but Fonua was alert and gathered the ball before holding off a defender to bulldoze his way over. O’Brien lined up the kick from the touchline and connected perfectly for the ball to sail over and give Cas an eight-point lead.
After quelling a couple of Wakefield forays forward which ended in Niall Evalds dealing with a pair of Mason Lino high boots, Cas looked to extend their advantage halfway through the first 40. The Fords were happy to offload the ball on a regular basis as Westerman got rid of the ball in the tackle, but unfortunately the ball went dead and was recovered by Trinity.
Another illegal rip on Fonua gifted Radford’s men another chance to bring the ball forward as the clocked ticked over the 30-minute mark. Some inventive play on the last by Mamo to win a penalty after he was blocked from chasing his own kick, but Greg Eden was denied his 100th score for the Fords after he was forced out of play inches from the try line on the following set.
With three minutes of the first half remaining Castleford then turned defence into attack as Eden was called into action on his own line and did well to deal with a Lino kick forward. The Tigers were given possession and they made their way up the pitch superbly for Paul McShane to find Suaia Matagi on a short ball for the prop to power over for his first score in Cas colours. O’Brien then made no mistake from the tee to give his side a 14-0 lead at the interval.
Wakefield came out of the sheds with a point to prove and showed their attacking intent early in the second half. The Tigers were penalised for offside inside their own 40 but Trinity couldn’t make their possession count as they shifted the play left to Jowitt who made a dart for the line but spilt forward close to the line.
A penalty awarded in centre field for Cas gave the visitors a great attacking platform and they used it to full affect to give them further breathing space. Kenny Edwards was the man to produce a magical step and burst through a gap to race over to send the travelling support into delirium. O’Brien kept his perfect record with his right boot to make the scores 20-0 with just over half an hour to go.
Castleford then had to show their defensive resolve with a couple of big shots coming from Westerman and Nathan Massey to turn the ball over near their own line.
As the contest headed towards the final 20 minutes the Tigers well and truly stamped their authority on the contest as McShane helped himself to a captains try. A bizarre moment from a Trinity restart 10 metres out as the ball fell loose for the England hooker to pounce and run in unopposed. O’Brien knocked over the conversion to add the extras.
Wakefield were keen to make sure to get they got themselves on the scoresheet and they did just that with 11 minutes to go with Liam Kay dotting down in the corner after a hit out pass wide. Jowitt couldn’t convert from the tee.
The 72nd minute provided the moment Eden was dreaming about as he claimed the outstanding landmark of reaching his 100th score for his hometown club. Trueman was the provider with an outrageous rainbow pass to the winger for him to cross in the corner and that was followed up by a pinpoint conversion out wide from O’Brien.
Castleford decided to try their luck on the final play with Mamo making a burst for the line and the centre was hit by a high tackle and the Fords decided to add another two points to their lead for the match to end in a 34-4 victory and their 17th consecutive win over Wakefield Trinity.
Full-time: Wakefield Trinity 4–34 Castleford Tigers
Wakefield: Jowitt, Kay, Lyne, Hall, Johnstone, Gaskell, Lino, Arona, Hood, Tanginoa, Pitts, Ashurst, Crowther
Interchanges: Bowes, Whitbread, Battye, Adebiyi
Tries: Kay
Goals: Jowitt (0/1)
Castleford: Evalds, Olpherts, Mamo, Fonua, Eden, Trueman, O’Brien, Watts, McShane, Griffin, Edwards, Milner, Westerman
Interchanges: Massey, Sutcliffe, Smith, Matagi
Tries: Fonua, Matagi, Edwards, McShane, Eden
Goals: O’Brien (7/7)