HULL FC 14 CASTLEFORD TIGERS 18
TOM ALDERSON, MKM Stadium, Friday

CASTLEFORD have had to deal with plenty of adversity in recent weeks but earned themselves a much-needed win at the expense of Hull FC.

With head coach Ryan Carr again absent for the trip to West Hull and speculation rife about his future, the Tigers scrapped and fought their way to two valuable points and gave their loyal travelling fans something to celebrate.

It was a game where both sides struggled to produce any sustained momentum or cutting edge, but the visitors’ spirit was on show as they came from behind late, with Liam Hood’s 68th-minute try earning the win.

Lead by Hood and Daejarn Asi, Cas were able to put aside the turbulence off the field to claim their first win in four matches.

After repelling a swathe of early Hull possession, it was the Tigers who struck first through Renouf Atoni, who powered past three defenders to score from close range.

Cas had turned the tide, dominating the pace of the game through the middle, and soon got their second try with Mikaele Ravalawa finishing off a lovely flowing backline move in the right corner to make it a two-score lead after 26 minutes.

Harvey Barron looked to have got the hosts back into the game with a length-of-the-field intercept, but the try was called back for a late shot in the build-up.

From the resulting penalty Tom Weaver, who kicked one of the two earlier conversions, slotted the goal to put the Tigers twelve up.

Hull responded on the next set to halve that gap. After Ravalawa coughed up the ball from the kick-off, the Black and Whites rolled through their set with Joe Batchelor quickest to react to Jake Arthur’s grubber kick for an Aidan Sezer-converted try to make it a six-point deficit at the break.

The home side scored first in the second half after Barron collected the scraps to score after the Tigers failed to deal with Arthur’s high kick.

Sezer missed the touchline conversion to leave Cas hanging on to a slender two-point advantage with half an hour to play.

The Tigers had chances at Hull’s end but couldn’t convert before the Airlie Birds took the lead for the first time on the hour mark, with Sezer’s cut-out ball giving Lewis Martin a simple finish in the left corner to put the hosts up by two.

The game swung again as Castleford scored a crucial late try to wrestle back the lead. Following a Hull error on their own line, Hood showed great strength to burrow his way over for a converted score.

Hull had a last throw of the dice in the dying minutes to try to rescue the game, but the Tigers’ desperate defence held on to seal a gritty win.

GAMESTAR: Crafty hooker Liam Hood dictated the pace of the game throughout and pinched a vital try late on which ended up being the match-winner.

GAMEBREAKER: Hood’s try late in the second half earned the Tigers a much-needed win.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: On a night where free-flowing rugby was at a premium, Cas’ second try to Mikaele Ravalawa was a brilliantly-executed backline move.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Liam Hood (Castleford)
2 pts Daejarn Asi (Castleford)
1 pt Harvey Barron (Hull FC)

MATCHFACTS

HULL FC
24 Logan Moy
2 Harvey Barron
3 Davy Litten
21 Arthur Romano
5 Lewis Martin
6 Jake Arthur
7 Aidan Sezer
8 Herman Ese’ese
9 Amir Bourouh
10 Harvie Hill
11 Joe Batchelor
39 Ethan O’Neill
15 James Bell
Subs (all used)
14 Cade Cust
16 Sam Lisone
18 Ligo Sao
26 Huge Salabio
18th man (not used)
32 Lloyd Kemp
Also in 21-man squad
25 Matty Laidlaw
29 Will Hutchinson
36 Lennon Clark

Tries: Batchelor (36), Barron (49), Martin (60)
Goals: Sezer 1/3

TIGERS
35 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
5 Mikaele Ravalawa
12 Alex Mellor
23 Krystian Mapapalangi
21 Louis Senior
6 Daejarn Asi
7 Tom Weaver
8 Renouf Atoni
9 Liam Hood
10 George Lawler
11 Jordan Lane
32 George Hirst
13 Joe Stimson
Subs (all used)
15 Jack Ashworth
27 Cain Robb
36 Tyler Dupree
39 Jack Brown
18th man (not used)
25 Sam Hall
Also in 21-man squad
24 Jenson Windley
30 Daniel Sarbah
40 Tylor Sharpe

Tries: Atoni (10), Ravalawa (26), Hood (68)
Goals: Weaver 3/4

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-10, 0-12, 6-12; 10-12, 14-12, 14-18

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hull FC: Harvey Barron; Tigers: Liam Hood

Penalty count: 4-3
Half-time: 6-12
Referee: James Vella
Attendance: 12,030