Hull KR survive mighty scare as brilliant Castleford Tigers edged out in golden-point

HULL KR 19 CASTLEFORD TIGERS 18
CALLUM WALKER, Sewell Group Craven Park, Friday

HULL KR survived a mighty scare as Mikey Lewis sent over the winning field-goal in golden-point to break Castleford hearts.

The Tigers deserved better having been dogged defensively throughout whilst showing some nice touches with the ball, but cometh the hour, cometh the man as Lewis stepped up in extra-time.

Liam Watts dropped out from the side that lost to Bradford in the Challenge Cup, with Ben Davies making his debut off the bench following a loan move from St Helens. KR, however, remained unchanged from their thrashing of York.

The Robins were a side possessed in the opening exchanges as new recruit Jared Waerea-Hargreaves rampaged his way to the line only to drop the ball from a strong Liam Horne tackle.

The Tigers looked vastly improved from the side that went down to Bradford, but a superb Lewis 40/20 set the platform for what should have been the first points of the game.

A brilliant Lewis feint left Castleford scrambling, but Burgess dropped the ball with the line begging.

However, the visitors couldn’t hold out much longer with Burgess this time crossing in the corner off a scrum move on 14 minutes. Rhyse Martin failed to convert as Rovers led 4-0.

Credit to Danny McGuire’s side, they didn’t look perturbed and they hit back with a fine effort just after the midway point in the first half.

Following three repeat sets, Daejarn Asi and Hoy combined to send over Josh Simm in the corner. The score remained 4-4, however, with Hoy missing the conversion.

The cats were put well amongst the pigeons when Fletcher Rooney scythed his way through the KR line before side-stepping Niall Evalds as the half-hour approached. Hoy’s boot made it 10-4 at a shellshocked Craven Park.

Castleford kept the scoreboard ticking over moments later with a Hoy penalty following a high tackle on Horne.

But, after the Tigers were penalised harshly on the last tackle, Rovers shifted the ball wide to Peta Hiku and the Kiwi did the rest, dummying his way past Zac Cini. Martin, usually so reliable, put the conversion wide as Castleford led 12-8 at the break.

Three successive Rovers penalties at the start of the second half should have seen KR restore parity, but stern Tigers defence kept them out – as it did when Hiku stormed through the middle with the hour in sight.

Offloads and metres meant nothing when Evalds lost a towering Asi bomb before the hosts unsuccessfully challenged a Hiku knock-on.

But the pressure eventually told on 63 minutes with Burgess finishing off a brilliant Oliver Gildart run to the corner. This time Martin converted excellently to send Willie Peters’ side into the lead, 14-12.

And it was that man Burgess who registered his twelfth hat-trick of his career with ten minutes to go, flying once more to dot down over the whitewash. But Martin was wayward again to leave the Tigers with a glimmer of hope at 18-12.

That glimmer turned into reality moments later as Cini leapt like a salmon from a Hoy kick after the visitors claimed the short kick-off. Hoy levelled proceedings and set up a grandstand finish.

And when Hoy was hit high by Kelepi Tanginoa, it handed the playmaker a shot at redemption.

His kick was wide as golden-point loomed, when up stepped Lewis.

GAMESTAR: Joe Burgess registered a tremendous hat-trick.

GAMEBREAKER: Mikey Lewis sent over the winning field-goal.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Joe Burgess flying over in the corner for his second effort.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Joe Burgess (Hull KR)
2 pts Jeremiah Simbiken (Castleford)
1 pt Liam Horne (Castleford)

MATCHFACTS
HULL KR
1 Niall Evalds
2 Tom Davies
3 Peta Hiku
4 Oliver Gildart
5 Joe Burgess
6 Mikey Lewis
7 Tyrone May
8 Sauaso Sue
14 Michael McIlorum
10 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
11 Rhyse Martin
12 James Batchelor
13 Elliot Minchella
Subs (all used)
9 Jez Litten
11 Dean Hadley
16 Jai Whitbread
20 Kelepi Tanginoa
18th man (not used)
21 Jack Brown
Also in 21-man squad
15 Sam Luckley
18 Jack Broadbent
25 Bill Leyland

Tries: Burgess (14, 63, 70), Hiku (38)
Goals: Martin 1/4
Field-goals: Lewis (83)

TIGERS
23 Fletcher Rooney
24 Josh Simm
4 Sam Wood
3 Zac Cini
5 Innes Senior
6 Daejarn Asi
1 Tex Hoy
13 Joe Westerman
14 Judah Rimbu
10 George Lawler
11 Jeremiah Simbiken
18 Josh Hodson
9 Liam Horne
Subs (all used)
15 George Griffin
20 Muizz Mustapha
21 Sylvester Namo
36 Ben Davies (D)
18th man (not used)
35 Dan Okoro
Also in 21-man squad
8 Liam Watts
17 Luke Hooley
25 Will Tate