Castleford 30 Salford 16: Devils stopped in their tracks by hosts Tigers

Castleford Tigers cut short Salford’s revival by inflicting their first defeat in four matches.
Michael Shenton celebrates a try with Luke Gale of Castleford Tigers.Michael Shenton celebrates a try with Luke Gale of Castleford Tigers.
Michael Shenton celebrates a try with Luke Gale of Castleford Tigers.

Winger Justin Carney bagged two tries to take his season’s tally to eight as the Tigers climbed into the top eight with only their second win of the season.

Scrum-half Liam Finn was also a key contributor as he scored a try and had a hand or boot in Castleford’s other five touchdowns while his half-back partner Luke Gale kicked three goals.

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Castleford captain Michael Shenton made a surprise return, just two weeks after he dislocated a shoulder in the 42-14 home win against Wigan but the Tigers were without prop Andy Lynch (groin).

Full-strength Salford, who brought in Niall Evalds, at full-back in place of Kevin Locke but they suffered a second-minute setback when they lost second-rower Jordan Walne with a facial injury and he was replaced by Jason Walton.

The Tigers took a ninth-minute lead when Carney finished a flowing move involving Finn and Luke Dorn and Salford soon fell further behind after they failed to deal with Luke Gale’s high kick.

Dorn and Adam Milner went close before Finn went over from acting half-back from close range and Gale added his second goal to put them 12-0 up.

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But Salford hit back in the 18th minute when Rangi Chase’s clever grubber kick set up a try for hooker Tommy Lee.

Castleford then increased their lead to 16-6 when clever play by Jake Webster, James Clare and Finn saw Shenton score.

The Reds quickly replied when Grant Millington dropped Dobson’s high kick near his own try line and ex-Tigers forward Weller Hauraki pounced for a simple try.

Both teams finished the first-half with 12 men after Carney (Castleford) and Chase (Salford) were both sin-binned after a 32nd-minute flare-up.

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Castleford’s Ben Roberts was then held up over the line before Finn put in Scott Wheeldon on the stroke of half-time and Gale kicked his third goal for 22-12.

They shot further ahead seven minutes into the second-half when Ben Jones-Bishop fumbled Finn’s kick behind his own try line, gifting Clare an easy score.

The Tigers looked the sharper side and slick handling by Finn and Carney sent in Carney for his second try of the night after 65 minutes.

Salford flickered when Jones-Bishop scored a 70th-minute try but it was little too late.

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Castleford Tigers: Dorn, Clare, Webster, Shenton, Carney, Finn, Gale, Millington, Milner, Cook, O. Holmes, Moors, Massey. Substitutes: Roberts, Boyle, Wheeldon, McMeeken.

Salford Red Devils: Evalds, Jones-Bishop, J. Griffin, Sa’u, Johnson, Chase, Dobson, Morley, Lee, Taylor, Hansen, Hauraki, J. Walne. Substitutes: Fages, D. Griffin, Tasi, Walton.

Referee: R Hicks (RFL).