DOGS OF WAR LET IT SLIP...
‘Massive effort’ by part-time Bulldogs but Cas kings of ‘the hill’
RELIEVED Craig Lingard survived a Challenge Cup scare to get his first win as Castleford boss, but some of his players were left shaking their heads.
The Super League club twice came from behind to beat the Championship part-timers Batley and secure a place in tomorrow’s quarter-final draw.
Innes Senior scored two tries on his 100th career appearance and England hooker Paul Mcshane (right) impressed in his first game of the season after injury.
But Castleford struggled at times going up Batley’s famous sloping pitch into a fierce wind. Lingard is a legend at Bulldogs having scored 142 tries in 205 games for them and leading them to Wembley last year, before taking on the Castleford gig.
But after his first return to Mount Pleasant – and five straight Super League losses – Lingard said: “I’m really disappointed we conceded the tries we did because we’d prepped it all week. I’ve been here at Batley long enough as a player and coach to know what that hill can do. It’s more mental than anything.
“Although some of our players have just said they wouldn’t play here for a golden pig if they had to do it every week on that hill!”
Batley had thrived ploughing down the famous slope and went into the break level at 14-14.
Luke Manning cut a brilliant line to charge over in the ninth minute. Things got worse for Cas when their short drop-out failed to go 10m.
Dave Gibbons slotted the penalty to add to his earlier conversion for an 8-0 lead.
Tigers fans started ironically singing “We’ve got the ball” when they finally gained possession. But they did plenty with it, scoring back-to-back tries via Josh Simm and Rowan Milnes, Mcshane converting to put them 10-8 ahead in the 25th minute.
Batley hit straight back, Brandon Moore burrowing through some atrocious goal-line defence to score on his 200th career appearance. But then giant Cas prop Albert Vete made a huge contribution off the bench to get Tigers moving again, ending with Senior’s score.
Co-captain Mcshane forced his way over in the 43rd minute, then improved his own effort.
Tigers saw Alex Mellor sin-binned for a late hit nine minutes later but, crucially, the hosts just couldn’t capitalise against the 12 men.
Instead, Castleford added to their lead when Jacob Miller smuggled over and Senior claimed his second try in the 71st minute to make sure.
Bulldogs boss Mark Moxon said: “The effort was fantastic. We could have taken some of those chances in the second half, but overall it was a massive effort from the lads.” BATLEY BULLDOGS: Tries: Manning, Moore; Pen: Gibbons; Cons: Gibbons (2) CASTLEFORD TIGERS: Tries: Simm, Milnes, Senior (2), Mcshane, Miller;
Cons: Mcshane (2)