Third hosted fourth as the Castleford Tigers looked to overcome last weekend#s narrow defeat at the hands of the Wigan Warriors with a win against a Warrington Wolves side sure to have one eye on next week’s Challenge Cup Final.
Steve Price named a strong outfit for the game, indicating that he was as keen for the two points tonight as he is for Challenge Cup success. Daryl Powell also knew the importance of the game to maintain the gap over fifth place Huddersfield Giants to ensure a place in the play-offs.
Both sides came into the game with remarkably similar records in 2018, having secured one win apiece in the two meetings so far this season.
The Tigers were fastest out of the blocks and on seven minutes James Clare made the pressure count as he found space down the right wing after the ball was moved across the field from the left sides. Scoring in the corner he gave Jamie Ellis a difficult conversion and he slid the ball wide of the uprights.
A high tackle from Cooper on Nathan Massey gifted Ellis a simple penalty goal from directly in front of the uprights on fifteen minutes to extend the lead to six points.
With twenty-seven on the clock the Tigers extended their lead when Junior Moors grounded a Paul McShane grubber from a metre out. Ellis added a simple conversion to double the home sides lead to 12-0.
Greg Eden added the Tigers third with twenty seconds of the half remaining, intercepting forty from his own line, running sixty to score by leaping over and touching down with his fingertips. Ellis was unable to add the extras as the half time hooter sounded, with the Tigers good value for their 16-0 lead.
Warrington opened their account three minutes after the restart when Stefan Ratchford jumped to collect a Kevin Brown chip over the top to ground easily under the crossbar. Ratchford added the extras to reduce the deficit to ten points.
Three minutes later Bryson Goodwin took a Kevin Brown pass to dive over from three metres through a big gap in the Tigers defence. Ratchford added the extras two for 12-16.
A pinpoint McShane kick to the wing was collected by Greg Eden who stepped inside the Warrington tackler to ground for his second. Ellis kicked brilliantly from the touchline for 22-12.
After the temporary Warrington fightback the Tigers regained control on sixty-six when Mike McMeeken took a Michael Shenton pass to go through a big gap and score by the uprights. Jamie Ellis kicked the extras for a 28-12 lead.
Ratchford added a late consolation when he collected a Brown kick to walk over the line for his second of the match and when Declan Patton added the conversion the final score was 18-28.
Despite Warrington’s purple patch at the start of the second half, the Tigers never looked in any real danger of losing against next week’s Cup finalists. Whether self-preservation was a factor, only the Wolves players themselves will know, but the policy of playing a strong line-up may have backfired on the coach as his side suffered several injuries. With Huddersfield beating Hull FC just down the road, the Giants are now four points behind the Wolves and are ready to pounce on a play-off place should Warrington get a cup hangover.
Tigers: Mata’utia, Clare (T), Webster, Shenton, Eden (2T), Ellis (4G), Trueman, Watts, McShane, Millington, Wardle, McMeeken (T), Massey. Subs: Holmes, Moors (T), Turner, Clark.
Wolves: Ratchford (2T, 2G), Lineham, King, Goodwin (T), Brown M, Brown K, Roberts, Hill, Clark, Cooper, Thompson, Hughes, King.Subs: Patton (G), Akauola, Philbin, Pomeroy.
Referee: Gareth Hewer.
Half-Time: 16-0.
Full Time: 28-18.
Attendance: .
