HULL FC 14 CASTLEFORD TIGERS 22
ASHLEY HOPE, MKM Stadium, Friday
CASTLEFORD returned to winning ways after back-to-back defeats – humbling a Hull FC side on the back of two impressive wins.
The Tigers were entering the clash following defeats to Warrington and Leeds, while the hosts were riding on the high of wins to Catalans and Leigh.
Yet the two reversed their fortunes, with the performance of both teams a complete contrast – despite the deceptively narrow margin of 14-22.
Spines were already chilling, in twofold manner, leading up to the game- with both sides suffering significant ruptures to their respective backbones via injuries to Hull’s Will Pryce and Castleford’s Tex Hoy.
John Asiata, Jed Cartwright, Liam Watts and Jordan Lane were still missing links from Hull’s pack, as the Tigers were without the flair of Fletcher Rooney.
Add to the fold the impending departure of Judah Rimbu, and spinal discomfort was a common theme to the preparation of both camps. Who folded under that pressure was inevitably a key factor.
Not that Innes Senior needed much encouragement in putting his back out for Castleford’s cause, as he lunged acrobatically to open the scoring just four minutes in.
Daejarn Asi’s instinctive pass to Senior and Rowan Milnes’ subsequent conversion were early indicators it was the Tigers who were best equipped to handle the game without key absentees.
Hull, however, took a few hands of the clock longer to settle into the game. Two handling errors from Jordan Rapana, at each end of the field, were indicative of the surgical attention needed on-field.
It took Zak Hardaker to put the spring in Hull’s step, as his injection of pace rolled the years back in slicing Castleford’s backline.
Cade Cust’s cut-throat pass to Harvey Barron then rectified Hull’s early wound, as the winger barreled his way over his season’s seventh. Aidan Sezer’s kick plastered up the deficit.
Momentum may have been seemingly shifting the way of the home side, with Sezer’s successful captain’s challenge for a Chris Atkin knock-on spurring their spirits not soon after.
Hull opened up their earlier wounds, however, as their attacking operation was being incised largely from within. Rapana and Sezer, among others, were the senior culprits of untidy handling.
And they soon paid the inevitable price, as Louis Senior’s barnstorming run over opposite number Lewis Martin gave Castleford their second try. It felt, admittedly, like their second attack in only 24 minutes.
Hull’s young wingers were clearly feeling the heat, though, as Barron’s knock-on in his own 10m line quickly gave Danny McGuire’s side another chance to strike the scolding iron.
Barron showed his defensive mettle, though, in creasing Innes Senior into touch and denying him a second try,
Seconds later, Barron pressed his iron in the other fire, as he too came close to making his brace, before the much-needed break.
After which Jack Ashworth’s bulldozing break seemed to signal Hull’s intent; Sezer’s kick on the last nearly resulted in a rapid try – only for Davy Litten to fumble the grounding.
Hull never seemed capable of getting their grip on the second half, in truth, with their first-half hot potato now seemingly entirely sun-baked.
Jackets were only just being put on by the crowd, in fact, when Asi chopped Hull in two to garnish the visitors’ lead with a third try.
It shouldn’t have felt like a sucker blow, at 58 minutes. At the time, it did. Those Hull fans without their coats on kept one hand firmly placed on it, as ten minutes of consistent mistakes made viewing difficult.
To the Tigers’ credit, they showed a strong unity and urgency in attack. Their persistence paid off, as well, as Tom Amone bursted over to score eight minutes from time.
Several Castleford supporters, in fashion, left their jackets on the floor with their T-shirts also. That may have been a factor in Milnes’ missed conversion.
Hull’s players were keen to show their pride in their shirts, though, in spite of their quite embarrassing display.
In finding their seemingly absent fight, Martin raced over for a clinical quick-fire brace. Rapana, too, had his artful hand in his second.
But the consolations didn’t fool those Hull fans still present at the end, who made their collective boo more of a collective boom.
Castleford will mind little to none, of course. A win is a win and McGuire’s Tigers earned just their fourth of the season.
GAMESTAR: Much was said about the absence of Tex Hoy for Castleford, but Zac Cini stepped up in a confident performance at fullback.
GAMEBREAKER: Davy Litten’s knock-on in the first attack after the break – Hull may have been able to catch a break if he scored.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Innes Senior’s lungs and subsequent lunge to open the scoring.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Zac Cini (Castleford)
2 pts Louis Senior (Castleford)
1 pt Harvey Barron (Hull FC)
MATCHFACTS
HULL FC
1 Jordan Rapana
2 Harvey Barron
5 Tom Briscoe
20 Davy Litten
22 Lewis Martin
14 Cade Cust
7 Aidan Sezer
8 Herman Ese’ese
9 Amir Bourouh
40 Liam Knight
3 Zak Hardaker
4 Ed Chamberlain
16 Yusuf Aydin
Subs (all used)
17 Jack Ashworth
25 Denive Balmforth
27 Matty Laidlaw
39 Sam Eseh
18th man (not used)
24 Jack Charles
Also in 21-man squad
19 Brad Fash
21 Will Gardiner
33 Will Hutchinson
Tries: Barron (14), Martin (75, 78)
Goals: Sezer 1/2, Hardaker 0/1
TIGERS
3 Zac Cini
24 Josh Simm
22 Louis Senior
4 Sam Wood
5 Innes Senior
6 Daejarn Asi
7 Rowan Milnes
41 Tom Amone
9 Liam Horne
38 Brad Singleton
12 Alex Mellor
10 George Lawler
14 Chris Atkin
Subs
13 Joe Westerman
15 George Griffin
19 Sam Hall
26 George Hill (not used)
18th man (not used)
31 Dan Okoro
Also in 21-man squad
16 Cain Robb
20 Muizz Mustapha
25 Will Tate
Tries: I Senior (4), L Senior (24), Asi (58), Amone (72)
Goals: Milnes 3/4
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 6-12; 6-18, 6-22, 10-22, 14-22
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hull FC: Harvey Barron; Tigers: Zac Cini
Penalty count: 1-3
Half-time: 6-12
Referee: Liam Rush
Attendance: 13,376