Castleford Tigers 18 Hull FC 50:Castleford collapse as returning Westerman inspires Hull victory

But when Joe Westerman, having played his part in this victory that secured Hull FC’s play-off place, asserted all opponents will now fear the Black and Whites, it is hard not to disagree.

By running in nine tries against a Castleford side who also knew victory would confirm their top-eight spot, prolific Hull displayed the attacking class which has seen them rack up 148 points in just three Super League games. And, crucially, illustrated composure when it mattered most.

But it was the effectiveness of their brilliant line defence which marked them out as genuine contenders; Castleford, the dashing Rangi Chase et al, came at them relentlessly in the first half but, more often than not, were forcefully repelled by Hull’s stubborn and well-organised resistance.

In one set alone, ahead just 10-6, Richard Horne and Willie Manu somehow prevented Castleford captain Danny Orr darting over before Richard Whiting – one of Super League’s most under-rated players – showed great awareness to come in off his wing and crunch Tigers centre Willie Isa just as a try seemed inevitable.

Such alertness from the East Yorkshire club under-pinned their victory, two magnificent long-range tries from outstanding England wing Tom Briscoe adding the gloss.

Hull moved up from eighth to replace their opponents in seventh – hardly the sort of position which would cause much threat when it comes to the race for Old Trafford.

They host table-topping Warrington this weekend in their final regular fixture but Westerman, the gifted second-row who left Castleford for £100,000 last winter, told the Yorkshire Post: “The last four weeks we’ve been outstanding, playing rugby like a top-two team.

“On our day we can beat anyone. We’re the form side in the comp’.

“We’ve got Warrington next and if we put a good win on them then teams will not want to play us.

“Our on-line defence was unbelievable – Cas scored two tries which weren’t all that – but we’ve been doing that now for a while and it’s showing when we have the ball too.”

While Castleford, clearly still suffering from their Challenge Cup semi-final loss, lacked a clinical touch, their opponents were ruthless.

However, Hull were aided by some woeful home defence.

The manner in which Briscoe was allowed to escape and finish his first, when both the embarrassing full-back Ryan McGoldrick and Richard Mathers somehow failed to snare him when cornered, summed it up.

However, moments later, Manu charged through McGoldrick again just before the hooter to put Hull 22-6 ahead despite all the hosts’ pressure.

Castleford, who had scored through Orr following a marvellous chip, re-gather and blind pass from Chase, still had an opportunity to save themselves especially when Hull captain Craig Fitzgibbon limped off with ankle injury.

After Chase’s 40/20 kick, he enticed the Hull defence and McGoldrick’s pass saw Nick Youngquest produce a quality winger’s finish in the 50th minute to get within two scores.

But then Orr’s knock-on while trying to inject more pace, gifted position for Jordan Turner’s second, well supplied by a strong run and fend from Westerman who, in the absence of Danny Tickle, kicked seven goals from nine attempts on his first competitive return to his hometown club.

What followed was abject for Castleford and no way to send-off coach Terry Matterson in what was his final match at Wheldon Road.

Danny Houghton crossed after Sam Obst’s kick ricocheted off Chase – McGoldrick put on report for a reckless late challenge on the creator – and then, when Richard Owen put the re-start straight into touch, Manu eased through a gaping gap for his second.

The hapless Owen, having also done so in the first half, repeated his unforgivable error for a third time, surely some sort of unwanted record, to leave the winger slapping his hands on the ground in a mixture of frustration and embarrassment.

When Briscoe took McGoldrick’s poor kick close to his own line, he found space but still had no right to beat the Australian to the other end of the field.

However, McGoldrick bizarrely did not choose to narrow the angle until Briscoe had scorched over, almost inviting him to score his second.

Replacement Will Sharp, with his first touch, completed the rout when supporting a breakaway Kirk Yeaman, the centre who had started it all in the sixth minute.

Dean Widders, one of Castleford’s departing players, produced a trademark bustling run to see Isa go over late but it was no consolation for anyone at Tigers.

Having been in the top eight all season, they fell out for the first time and must win at Hull KR this weekend to save a campaign that had promised so much.

Hull, meanwhile, are just relishing the weeks ahead, Westerman adding: “I believe in the club more than ever right now.

“Cas is still in my heart but I had to move on for my own reasons. We’re playing some unbelievable rugby. We’re on a roll.”

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Castleford: McGoldrick; Owen, Arundel, Isa, Youngquest; Chase, Orr; Massey, Hudson, B Davies, Jones, Holmes, Aspinwall. Substitutes: Mathers, Snitch, Fozzard, Widders.

Hull: Phelps; Whiting, Turner, Yeaman, Briscoe; Horne, Obst; O’Meley, Houghton, Moa, Manu, Westerman, Fitzgibbon. Substitutes: Washbrook, Lauaki, Radford, Sharp.

Referee: S Ganson (St Helens).

matterson has tough job to rescue season

CASTLEFORD Tigers coach Terry Matterson faces a major battle to rescue his club’s season following their anti-climactic 50-18 loss to Hull FC.

They could have confirmed their play-off spot with victory but now need to venture to in-form Hull KR this weekend for a winner-takes-all encounter.

Castleford had been in the top eight all season, actually leading the competition before Easter, but have fallen away so badly that a third defeat in four games means they are now dramatically out of the play-off zone ahead of the final weekend.

Hull KR, who won 30-28 against Catalan Dragons in Perpignan on Saturday and defeated St Helens in their last game at Craven Park, know even a draw will see them qualify at Tigers’ expense due to a superior points difference.

“We’re still alive but we’ve got to be better than that,” said Matterson, the Australian who said a fond farewell to fans at the PROBIZ Coliseum after the last match there of his six-year reign before returning home.

“We’re massively disappointed because we’re better than that.

“The amount of players we’ve got out has been a factor at the back end of the season but we’ve got 17 players who can do better than that.

“I thought we started off with a lot of energy but we had no composure at all.”

Tigers failed to make their pressure tell in the first half and conceded two soft tries just before the break to trail 22-6.

“In the last five or six minutes of the first half defensively we were all over the shop and it didn’t get any better in the second half,” added Matterson.

“I thought Martin Aspinwall was really good but there was not much joy elsewhere.”

Conversely, compared to Castleford’s form, Hull were as low as 12th after winning just one of their opening six games but could now finish as high as fifth if they beat Warrington on Friday and other results go their way.

“I think we’ve shown over the last few months when the pressure is on that the boys never lost belief in themselves,” said coach Richard Agar, who awaits scan results on Craig Fitzgibbon’s rolled ankle.

“We had a really difficult start to the year but it’s how you finish. It’s a big tribute to the boys in that they believed in what we were doing.”