ADAM IN FOR KILL
ADAM SWIFT pounced for a killer hat-trick to book Saints’ place in the semi-finals.
Cas needed to win to keep alive their play-off hopes and led twice in the second half after recovering from a horror start.
But the champions dug deep to clinch the win that moves them up to third, one point behind Wigan.
Castleford’s hopes of getting anything out of this do-or-die game had looked dead and buried after just 15 minutes.
Saints skipper Jon Wilkin helped set up two tries for winger Adam Swift, with Luke Walsh converting both.
Mark Percival added a third converted try, following a terrific break by James Roby, and Cas looked in tatters. And it could easily have been even worse, with Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Wilkin having tries disallowed.
But two moments of magic from Tigers full-back Luke Dorn got them back into the game.
Dorn sidestepped Adam Quinlan for his first try and then stepped two players and beat a third for an even better second effort.
Luke Gale, who provided the pass for both tries, added the goals and Saints looked rattled.
Ben Roberts cranked up the pressure even further with another superb converted touchdown to level the scores.
The Aussie pounced again early in the second half, after supporting a break by Mike McMeeken, to give Cas the lead for the first time.
Saints needed a quick response and found it from centre Percival, his try pulling the sides level for a second time.
Cas nudged ahead again with a Gale penalty but Roberts knocked on from the restart.
Quinlan and Tommy Makinson both raced in within three minutes for a 10-point lead but the Tigers refused to buckle.
Denny Solomona struck back with his 17th try in 13 games but Swift’s hat-trick score sealed it.
Junior Moors grabbed a last-ditch try, with gale adding his seventh goal to close the gap to four points. games. I was openminded but the defining factor was against Bradford last month.
“I played terrible and also hurt my neck and I decided it was time to call it a day.”
Morley, who hopes to help Salford save their Super League skins over the next three games, will become a Red Devils ambassador.
Director of rugby Tim Sheens said: “The first year is going to be difficult for him to settle down and get the smell of the dressing room out of his nostrils.
“But we will keep his days busy. We are keen to use him in all areas – we are not having him as window dressing.”
Meanwhile, Wigan will go level with leaders Leeds if they beat Hull at home tonight.