Castleford Tigers scored three tries in the last 13 minutes at the KC Stadium to snatch a thrilling draw against Hull FC that had looked unlikely for much of the game.
In a game that had largely been dominated by the home side, the Tigers were trailing 18-4 in the last quarter, but they sensed they could perhaps come back when Marc Sneyd scored in the 68th minute after great work by Liam Finn and Tigers captain Michael Shenton.
Sneyd added the conversion and he then played a key role in each of the Tigers’ last two tries, although he could convert neither.
First, he kicked to the Hull line for James Clare to race onto the ball to touch down in the left corner while selling a beautiful dummy to Hull fullback Jamie Shaul.
And Sneyd kicked to the same corner four minutes later, and this time Clare just beat Tom Lineham to touch down.
Hull had started the game in great form, and scoring their first try by Fetuli Talanoa after 15 minutes, after Danny Houghton and Kirk Yeaman created the chance. Jordan Rankin converted.
The Tigers soon replied, however, when Shenton supported a Sneyd break to score, despite juggling the ball. Sneyd, who had a poor night with goalkicking, missed the conversion.
After 30 minutes Jordan Abdull scored for Hull, easily beating Finn and Luke Dorn from close to the posts, and Rankin’s goal made it 12-4 to Hull at half-time.
And soon after the interval they were 14 points ahead, when Yeaman scored after Hull shifted the ball smartly to the left, with Rankin again converting.
Rankin had to leave the field soon afterwards with a knee injury, and he ws joined after 76 minutes by Abdull, who was carried off on a stretcher after Weller Hauraki’s knee struck him in the head in a tackle, an incident that was placed on report by referee James Child.
Soon after that Clare scored the equalising try for the Tigers.
The main consolation for Hull fans was the performance of Sneyd, who will be plying his trade at the KC Stadium for the black and whites in 2015.
