CASTLEFORD TIGERS 12 HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 30
JACOB KILBRIDE, Mend-A-Hose Jungle, Thursday
TWO tries from Tui Lolohea inspired Huddersfield to victory over their bottom-three rivals, with the Giants scoring 18 unanswered points in the second half after losing a 12-0 lead by the break.
The visitors recovered from Zac Woolford’s early sinbinning to go ahead through Lolohea’s opener, then Sam Halsall struck 31 minutes in, with George Flanagan converting both.
Huddersfield looked to be firmly in the driving seat, but a couple of scores in quick succession from George Lawler and Zac Cini helped get Castleford back on level terms, apparently changing the complexion of the contest.
However home hopes then dwindled as Taane Milne’s superb finish put Huddersfield back in front, and late efforts from Flanagan and a second from Lolohea sealed a win which cuts the gap to the tenth-placed Tigers down to just two points.
Having run Leigh and Wigan close alongside an upset win at Warrington, Huddersfield will be hoping this result – only their third Super League win of the year – can pep up their season.
For Castleford, beaten for a 13th time in 17 league outings so far, it must feel like a step backwards after the positive signs shown in the agonising and controversial late defeat to Wigan.
It also continued their miserable home record. They have defeated only financially-stricken Salford at The Jungle since July last year.
Danny McGuire’s side were gifted the early initiative when Woolford saw yellow after just 43 seconds for a late shot on Joe Westerman.
But it was Luke Robinson’s Huddersfield who registered the only points in those ten minutes.
From a kick-return on his own ten, Flanagan spotted a right-side gap and set Jacob Gagai haring away, beating Daejarn Asi before the supporting Lolohea finished. Flanagan goaled.
Louis Senior could count himself as one of Castleford’s few first-half stand-out performers, but it was his wild defensive mis-read, jumping out of the line, that let Halsall in at the left corner.
Flanagan nailed the touchline conversion for a 12-0 lead which appeared to have put Huddersfield in control before Castleford hit back with two tries in three minutes.
Louis Senior made the early ground down the right before a delayed Asi pass and a Rowan Milnes short ball sent Lawler over the whitewash.
The returning Innes Senior followed his brother (both facing their former club) in gaining valuable metres, this time on the left, before Cini’s inside charge enabled him to barge over the top of some suspect defending by Flanagan and Gagai.
Two Milnes goals left the contest all square at 12-12 at the break.
Castleford were handed a warning when Taane Milne was short in trying to dot down a Lolohea grubber, but there was no denying the centre when he barged in at the right corner.
Castleford thought they had struck back on the hour when Louis Senior dived over from Sam Wood’s wide looping pass, but the referee called a knock-on over the line.
A high shot on Woolford allowed Flanagan to nudge Huddersfield into a six-point lead with a penalty-goal, and with just ten minutes left, the visitors landed a decisive blow.
Running a clever line against the grain, Flanagan breezed through to touch down Lolohea’s drop-off ball – then converted.
Lolohea added some late gloss to the scoreline, racing clear from his own ten after intercepting a loose Asi pass. Flanagan kicked his fifth goal.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Oliver Wilson (Huddersfield)
2 pts Taane Milne (Huddersfield)
1 pt Zac Cini (Castleford)
MATCHFACTS
TIGERS
3 Zac Cini
24 Josh Simm
22 Louis Senior
4 Sam Wood
5 Innes Senior
6 Daejarn Asi
42 Chris Atkin
38 Brad Singleton
26 George Hill
41 Tom Amone
10 George Lawler
12 Alex Mellor
13 Joe Westerman
Subs (all used)
7 Rowan Milnes
15 George Griffin
23 Sam Hall
43 Joe Stimson
18th man (not used)
25 Will Tate
Also in 21-man squad
9 Liam Horne
23 Fletcher Rooney
35 Dan Okoro
Tries: Lawler (38), Cini (40)
Goals: Milnes 2/2
GIANTS
29 George Flanagan
2 Adam Swift
5 Sam Halsall
23 Taane Milne
1 Jacob Gagai
6 Tui Lolohea
35 Matt Frawley
8 Oliver Wilson
9 Zac Woolford
22 Tristan Powell
13 Harry Rushton
17 Joe Greenwood
21 Leroy Cudjoe
Subs (all used)
10 Tom Burgess
14 Ashton Golding
16 George King
27 Kieran Rush
18th man (not used)
15 Matty English
Also in 21-man squad
3 Jake Bibby
18 Fenton Rogers
30 Jack Bibby
Tries: Lolohea (5, 80), Halsall (31), Milne (51), Flanagan (70)
Goals: Flanagan 5/6
Sin bin: Woolford (2) – late tackle
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 6-12, 12-12; 12-16, 12-18, 12-24, 12-30
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Tigers: Zac Cini; Giants: Oliver Wilson
Penalty count: 4-6
Half-time: 12-12
Referee: James Vella
Attendance: 6,669