Tigers survive Saints scare, Trinity climb
UNDER-STRENGTH Castleford underlined their Super League title credentials by digging deep to edge St Helens 16-12.
Tigers coach Daryl Powell gave four key players the weekend off amid a gruelling schedule, handing a significant advantage to a Saints side buoyed by back-to-back wins in coach Justin Holbrook’s first two games in charge.
But Castleford proved they have the strength in depth to mount a sustained challenge for the Super League crown in a thrilling contest.
The home crowd at the Mend-AHose Jungle had seen their team score for fun in the early months of the season but they had only debutant Kieran Gill’s try to celebrate in the first half as Saints crossed through Mark Percival and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook to take a 12-4 lead into the break.
England forward Mike McMeeken, a late addition to the squad, set up a tense final 20 minutes and Tom Holmes’ brave finish earned the Tigers a notable victory.
Zak Hardaker, Luke Gale, Michael Shenton and Grant Millington were the Castleford players rested by Powell, who was angry that his side had to back up after playing two games in four days over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend.
By contrast, Saints enjoyed a 10-day turnaround after their scheduled game at Huddersfield on Monday was rearranged.
Elsewhere, former Salford winger Mason Caton-Brown scored a hat-trick against his old club as Wakefield Trinity ended the Red Devils’ seven-match winning run with a dramatic 34-24 victory at the AJ Bell Stadium.
Caton-Brown’s third try three minutes from the end proved the decisive score in a frenetic finish after Salford themselves had fought back to lead 24-22 having trailed 16-0.
Wakefield then sealed their seventh straight triumph with a lastminute score from second rower James Batchelor to move up to joint third in the Betfred Super League table.
Widnes lifted themselves off the bottom of Super League for the first time in nine weeks as they powered past lacklustre Catalans 26-6.
Denis Betts’ Vikings have been rooted to the bottom of the table since April after enduring a miserable campaign that has been blighted by a combination of injuries and wretched form, but they now look to be finally turning the corner.
The result represents the first time Widnes have managed to bag backto-back wins this season, building on the shock victory against Leeds.
The victory was comfortable in the end and largely thanks to the display of their Aussies, Rhys Hanbury and Corey Thompson, who collected a try each and were in form with the boot, hitting all the goals.
The Dragons, meanwhile, have won just one of their last eight on this evidence look a team that could be dragged into the bottom four places.