CASTLEFORD TIGERS 6 LEEDS RHINOS 64
CALLUM WALKER, OneBore Stadium, Saturday
MEN against boys is how you would describe Leeds’ impressive hammering of dreadful Castleford.
The Tigers were quite frankly, shocking, from the first minute, whilst the Rhinos looked every part a silverware-hunting side as the fantastic Jake Connor registered 22 points.
Cameron Smith and Cooper Jenkins were both ruled out for the Rhinos, with Presley Cassell making his first start.
Josh Hodson missed out for Castleford as Jeremiah Simbiken was suspended. Elliot Wallis, meanwhile, made his second debut and Chris Atkin came back into the halves.
Leeds meant business early on and after Lachlan Miller had made a 70-metre break, Connor chipped over the top for Harry Newman – who had to juggle three times – to dot down. Connor converted for a 6-0 lead after just five minutes.
The Rhinos looked in the mood and it was that man Connor again that delivered a pin-point kick for Miller to pluck out of the air in front of a hapless Daejarn Asi. Connor made it 12-0.
So it was against the run of play that Castleford should have hit back. This time Asi’s bomb caused havoc in the Leeds defence. Joe Stimson pounced, offloaded to Alex Mellor and his kick was chased by Louis Senior. However, the latter knocked-on with the line gaping.
Normal service was resumed moments later though as Jenson Windley’s knock-on handed Leeds a perfect shot for more points – and they duly took advantage. After Connor was held up, Cassell forced his way through for his first senior try around the midway point in the first half. Connor couldn’t miss for an 18-0 lead.
Things went bad from worse for the Tigers from the kick-off, Andy Ackers breaking through the ruck before setting Brodie Croft free with the halfback outpacing the Castleford chasers. Connor once more converted to make it 24-0.
It was James Bentley’s turn to get on the scoresheet with half an hour gone, pouncing on to a neat Ash Handley grubber after Windley had lost his footing. And Handley himself should have stretched Leeds’ further, but he lost possession diving for the whitewash, as did Ryan Hall with half-time looming.
Hall made amends for his error, catching a Croft pass with James McDonnell breaking the Tigers’ defence open with a fine offload. Connor converted on the hooter as boos rang out around the newly-named OneBore Stadium.
The hosts could muster little in the second half either. Instead Handley pushed Leeds past 40 points after running onto a Miller pass following a Morgan Gannon break.
Harry Newman found Hall – for his 29th score in 29 games against Castleford – with a quite sublime pass for the next score as Connor missed his first conversion with Leeds leading 46-0.
Handley almost had another, but play was brought back for a tackle without the ball with Connor capping off a wonderful display with his own four-pointer on the hour. Connor converted for a 52-0 lead.
Croft notched his second on 64 minutes, backing up Bentley’s break before Handley stretched out through a Mellor tackle. This time Chris Hankinson converted.
But Castleford still had enough time to at least prevent a nilling when Windley dummied his way over with time running out. Chris Atkin rounded things off at 64-6.
GAMESTAR: Jake Connor ran the show with 22 points to his name.
GAMEBREAKER: Two Leeds tries in the opening ten minutes set the tone for the entire game.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Presley Cassell getting his first try in Leeds colours was a memory the youngster will remember.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Jake Connor (Leeds)
2 pts Lachlan Miller (Leeds)
1 pt Ash Handley (Leeds)
MATCHFACTS
TIGERS
27 Jenson Windley
22 Josh Simm
4 Sam Wood
22 Louis Senior
45 Elliot Wallis (D2)
6 Daejarn Asi
42 Chris Atkin
38 Brad Singleton
16 Cain Robb
41 Tom Amone
10 George Lawler
12 Alex Mellor
13 Joe Westerman
Subs (all used)
15 George Griffin
19 Sam Hall
20 Muizz Mustapha
43 Joe Stimson
18th man (not used)
26 George Hill
Also in 21-man squad
1 Tex Hoy
– Alfie Lindsey
Tries: Windley (76)
Goals: Atkin 1/1
RHINOS
1 Lachlan Miller
5 Ryan Hall
4 Ash Handley
3 Harry Newman
31 Chris Hankinson
6 Brodie Croft
18 Jake Connor
10 Keenan Palasia
9 Andy Ackers
29 Presley Cassell
12 James McDonnell
16 Morgan Gannon
28 Kallum Watkins
Subs (all used)
11 James Bentley
14 Jarrod O’Connor
15 Sam Lisone
24 Ben Littlewood
18th man (not used)
20 Jack Sinfield
Also in 21-man squad
23 Riley Lumb
– Jacob Stead
– Zak Lloyd
Tries: Newman (5), Miller (10), Cassell (19), Croft (21, 64), Bentley (31), Hall (39, 50), Handley (45, 73), Connor (60)
Goals: Connor 9/10, Hankinson 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-24, 0-30, 0-36; 0-42, 0-46, 0-52, 0-58, 0-64, 6-64
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Tigers: Elliot Wallis; Rhinos: Jake Connor
Penalty count: 3-0
Half-time: 0-36
Referee: Aaron Moore
Attendance: 7,861