CASTLEFORD TIGERS registered their first win of the season with a stunning 14-8 triummph.
It was nip and tuck for the first quarter with both sides feeling each other out before a scrum move saw Bureta Faraimo fly in at the corner in the 18th minute. Gareth Widdop missed the conversion as the Tigers led 4-0.
Faraimo was in the thick of the action and his massive hit on Harry Newman rocked the Leeds star off his feet moments later.
The winger should have had another with 15 minutes to go until the break but he lost the ball over the line.
And the Rhinos duly punished the hosts, Cameron Smith finding Blake Austin with the offload as Richie Myler supported on the inside. Rhyse Martin converted to make it 6-4.
Widdop added a penalty after Jacob Miller was taken out after the ball had gone to level the scores.
The Rhinos had a number of opportunities to take a penalty but tried to force their way over until a Castleford drop-out failed to reach ten metres. Martin added a goal to make it 8-6 at the break.
Widdop had the chance to level the scores once more ten minutes into the second-half after Adam Milner had the ball ripped loose, but he missed the opportunity.
Faraimo was this time able to keep hold of the ball to cross in the corner as the clock almost hit the hour from a lovely scrum move once more. Widdop this time converted to make it 12-8.
Castleford almost had another from a Paul McShane grubber but the Tigers chasers were found to be offside.
As the clock wound down, both sides were trying everything to take control of the game and Widdop again had the chance to knock Castleford further in front with a penalty on 70 minutes. This time he was successful as the Tigers led 14-8.
It was Derrell Olpherts’ turn to bomb a golden opportunity with six minutes to go against his former side with the line at his mercy.
With Castleford’s defence looking awesome, the Rhinos simply couldn’t break through as the Tigers held on for a massive two points.
Castleford Tigers
2 Greg Eden
5 Bureta Faraimo
17 Jack Broadbent
4 Mahe Fonua
31 Jason Qareqare
6 Jacob Miller
7 Gareth Widdop
20 Muizz Mustapha
9 Paul McShane
14 Nathan Massey
16 Adam Milner
12 Alex Mellor
13 Joe Westerman
Substitutes
11 Kenny Edwards
22 Daniel Smith
23 Suaia Matagi
32 Liam Watts
Tries: Faraimo 2
Goals: Widdop 2/4
Leeds Rhinos
1 Richie Myler
16 Derrell Olpherts
4 Nene MacDonald
3 Harry Newman
2 David Fusitu’a
6 Blake Austin
7 Aidan Sezer
18 Tom Holroyd
14 Jarrod O’Connor
10 Zane Tetevano
19 James McDonnell
12 Rhyse Martin
13 Cameron Smith
Substitutes
11 James Bentley
15 Sam Lisone
17 Justin Sangare
24 Luis Roberts
Tries: Myler
Goals: Martin 2/2
Referee: Aaron Moore
Penalty count: 8-8
Six again: 1-3
40/20s: 0-1
Forced drop-outs: 1-1
Half-time: 6-8
Scoring sequence: 4-0, 4-6, 6-6, 6-8; 12-8, 14-8
