LEEDS RHINOS thrashed Castleford Tigers, 32-6, in a drab Super League affair.
The Rhinos thought they had scored in just their first set after Mikolaj Oledzki pounced on a loose ball off a Matt Frawley kick, but they did register the first points of the afternoon when Ash Handley dived in at the corner on ten minutes following a scrum move. Rhyse Martin converted from out wide to make it 6-0.
Castleford were beyond poor in the opening exchanges and Brodie Croft took advantage of slack defence to dummy his way over from close range. Martin converted for a 12-0 lead.
Martin added another two points just after the half-hour when Justin Sangare was hit high as Leeds went into half-time with a 14-0 lead.
HALF-TIME: LEEDS RHINOS 14-0 CASTLEFORD TIGERS
The Rhinos picked up in the second-half where they left off in the first-half – on the front foot. And following a penalty, Frawley pierced his way through paper-thin defence. Martin made it 20-0 with the boot.
Martin himself got on the scoresheet moments later as the hosts turned the screw as the PNG international converted for a 26-0 lead.
Credit to the Tigers, they clawed their way back into proceedings, Elie El-Zakhem forcing his way over just after the hour. Milnes couldn’t convert, though, and Leeds still led 26-4.
However, Leeds soon put pay to any potential Castleford comeback as Martin took a short pass to round Tex Hoy and stride over under the posts. Martin himself converted to make it 32-4.
Leeds Rhinos
1 Lachlan Miller – 8
29 Alfie Edgell – 6
4 Paul Momirovski – 6
3 Harry Newman – 7
5 Ash Handley – 8
6 Brodie Croft – 8
7 Matt Frawley – 7
8 Mikolaj Oledzki – 7
14 Jarrod O’Connor – 6
18 Mickael Goudemand – 5
16 James McDonnell – 5
12 Rhyse Martin – 9
13 Cameron Smith – 8
Substitutes
15 Sam Lisone – 9
17 Justin Sangare – 8
26 Corey Johnson – 5
30 Tom Nicholson-Watton – 5
Tries: Handley (10), Croft (23), Frawley (42), Martin (45, 69)
Goals: Martin 6/6
Castleford Tigers
34 Tex Hoy – 3
23 Jason Qareqare – 4
35 Corey Hall – 4
4 Sam Wood – 6
5 Innes Senior – 3
16 Rowan Milnes – 4
7 Jacob Miller – 3
15 George Griffin – 5
14 Liam Horne – 4
19 Sam Hall – 3
12 Alex Mellor – 5
11 Elie El-Zakhem – 5
13 Joe Westerman – 4
Substitutes
8 Liam Watts – 3
17 Nixon Putt – 5
21 Sylvester Namo – 5
24 Cain Robb – 7
Tries: El-Zakhem (64)
Goals: Milnes 0/1
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