DERRELL’S THE PERIL
...and McShane the Menace sends England a shout
Castleford 35 Warrington 22
HOOKER Paul McShane masterminded a brilliant win for Castleford and sent a message to England manager Shaun Wane.
The Tigers ace is in the reckoning for a World Cup slot but McShane feels he needs to be on fire to book his place.
The 32-year-old said: “It is down to me now, it is now or never. I have got eight games left and I’m looking to make the most of them.”
Man of the match McShane pulled all the strings as the Tigers mauled woeful Warrington in the first half, clocking up 23 unanswered points.
The Wolves finally found some heart in the second period but this was a desperate result for head coach Daryl Powell on his first return to the Jungle.
Their sixth successive away loss leaves them struggling in ninth, with their play-off hopes now looking slim ahead of three more away games on the bounce.
Powell fumed: “We started dumb and we finished dumb.
“There are some key lessons to learn from that.”
Wolves looked to have turned their misfiring season around with a stunning win over Catalans last weekend.
But this first-half display was as bad as they come, as Cas scored almost at will through a Derrell Olpherts double, plus
Danny Richardson and Niall Evalds. Powell added: “We cannot win one game and fall in love with ourselves and then lose one. It is hard to fathom why we are so inconsistent.
“Everyone cares and is working hard, but we have got to give fans more in terms of consistency and durability.”
Castleford went further ahead through substitute full-back Jason Qareqare. But Warrington ramped up the heat with two
quick-fire tries from Ben Currie and Matty Ashton.
When Cas centre Chase Blair was sent off for a ridiculous head-high tackle with his elbow on Josh Thewlis, Warrington took advantage by grabbing another try through Daryl Clark.
However the Wolves are nothing if not frustrating and minutes later they leaked a poor touchdown from Alex Sutcliffe.
Delighted Cas boss Lee Radford said: “I am really pleased, particularly in those scorching conditions. It was really important we had field position and territory, and the scoreline was reward for that.”
Blair faces a certain ban but Radford added: “He will regret that – but I am sure he will be punished sufficiently.” CASTLEFORD: Tries: Olpherts (2), Richardson, Evalds, Qareqare, Sutcliffe; Pen: Richardson; Drop-goal: Richardson;
Con: Richardson (4). WARRINGTON: Tries: Currie, Ashton, Clark, Holmes; Con: Ratchford (3).