CASTLEFORD TIGERS coach Craig Lingard hailed 18-year-old halfback Jenson Windley after he scored his first senior try in Saturday’s win at Hull FC.
In the first half of the 39-20 victory, forwards Joe Westerman and Liam Watts combined with the latter going clear down the middle and passing to Windley in support for his first professional try on only his second appearance.
He also played impressively the previous week on debut in Castleford’s loss at home to Warrington.
Lingard said: “It’s a proud moment for Jenson. He’s a Hull lad and all his family are Hull supporters as well, so he might not be flavour of the month in the Windley household!
“But it’s great for a young kid like Jenson to handle the occasions like he has, last week making his debut against a top-class Warrington team and then coming today, scoring a try and again not looking out of place.”
Windley’s try helped the Tigers build a 24-6 lead, but that was cut to four points in the second half while yellow cards for Sylvester Namo and Liam Horne put them under further pressure.
Lingard added: “Being down to twelve men, eleven men and then twelve again, that period I thought the determination and work-rate they showed was what we’ve been trying to put into them this year. I think that period was what won us the game.”
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