Castleford Tigers 27 Hull KR 14: Tigers on top of the world as Hull KR fall victim

Forget they have only played three games, the buoyant Tigers are living in the now and no one can begrudge them their moment.

On the back of wins over Wakefield and Huddersfield, they remain the only club with a 100 per cent record and showed in defeating Hull KR that, as well as their expected class touches, they have the ability and character to dig themselves out of trouble.

Trailing 14-6 heading into the penultimate minute of the first half, Terry Matterson’s side were far from productive and fortunate not to be further behind.

But, after Nick Youngquest scored a 70-metre converted try to get them back in touch, they sorted their deficiencies at the break and re-emerged a different team, running with more force and tackling with added intensity to the extent shaken Hull KR struggled to have any impact on the second period.

Ignoring the loss of Jonathan Walker, the talented young prop who was named in the England Knights squad last week but lasted just a couple of minutes before being stretchered off with a knee injury yesterday, Castleford grew stronger and left subdued Rovers facing three successive defeats.

The hosts quickly got things underway with a fifth-minute try from Oliver Holmes who pounced on a Rangi Chase grubber.

Kirk Dixon converted but Rovers’ response was swift, Youngquest crumbling under pressure, spilling Scott Murrell’s lofted kick for Clint Newton to fall over the line on 10 minutes. Craig Hall added the extras and his side gained the upper hand on the back of some poor Castleford discipline – referee Richard Silverwood eventually speaking to captain Danny Orr after they were penalised four times for high tackles inside the opening half hour – with Hall scoring his first try for the club.

Tigers had squandered possession with Chase dropping the ball on half way and a loose Blake Green pass bounced fortuitously into the ex-Hull player’s grasp for an easy score.

Peter Fox had already bombed one opportunity when he failed to take Hall’s pass with a free run to the line but Ben Galea did not let them off again in the 28th minute.

Martin Aspinwall had gone high on Scott Wheeldon to concede more possession and territory, Ben Galea capitalising as he stormed onto a fine Murrell pass and stretched out of Orr’s tackle to touch down.

Castleford were fortunate that Hall sliced both conversion attempts wide and were further thankful when Fox again spilled after trying to gather Green’s thoughtful chip with the home defence scattered.

That prompted a period of heavy pressure from Justin Morgan’s side. Castleford had defended four consecutive sets and seemed certain to eventually split but Hall could not take a wide pass, knocking it backwards, Fox failed to defuse the situation leaving Brett Ferres to pick up and send Youngquest flying in for that crucial try.

It was the perfect response and Dixon’s second conversion brought it back to 14-12 just when Rovers looked set to extend their advantage. The second period was dominated by Castleford.

Matterson had stuck with the 17 who defeated Huddersfield so there was no return for fit-again former captain Ryan Hudson, the coach boldly placing faith in his two teenage hookers Adam Milner and Daryl Clark.

The decision paid dividends. Milner was smart and creative while Clark put his side back in front with the first try of his fledgling career on 47 minutes.

Having won the penalty to create the position, the confident 17-year-old showed great awareness to accelerate out of dummy half from 10 metres and stretch over between the posts, stunning Rovers with the rapidness of his dart.

Dixon, the Hull-born winger who enjoyed himself against his hometown, improved again and Ferres came close, losing control just as he tried to stretch over.

Orr managed a fine tackle on Shaun Briscoe after Liam Watts’s offload sent almost sent him clear on a rare raid from Rovers who lost captain Mick Vella with a knee injury on the hour.

Green was forced into a try-saving tackle on Youngquest but it mattered little as after the otherwise impressive Watts coughed up the ball 30 metres from his own line, Castleford made sure.

Some excellent handling from Orr, Chase, Richard Mathers and Joe Arundel saw Dixon apply a quality finish in the corner, the scorer getting up to maintain his 100 per cent record with the boot.

He added a 73rd-minute penalty and nearly added another straight after when Hall’s re-start sailed into touch, his kick from halfway just dropping short.

The East Yorkshire club got over the line when Josh Hodgson burrowed across but Castleford held him up and did likewise when Scott Taylor surged over moments later, further underlining the commitment and resoluteness of Matterson’s charges.

Ben Cockayne and Clint Newton somehow managed to head-butt each other after picking up Youngquest in a dangerous spear tackle, a sign of the dis-organisation which had descended on the Rovers ranks.

It was left to Chase to rightly give the hosts the last word, dropping a goal in the dying seconds to leave the majority of the 8,537 crowd singing that surreal chant.

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Castleford: Mathers; Dixon, Ferres, Arundel, Youngquest; Chase, Orr; Jackson, Milner, Huby, Holmes, Jones, Emmitt. Substitutes: Aspinwall, Walker, Clark, Widders.

Hull KR: Briscoe; Fox, Hall, Welham, Colbon; Green, Murrell; Vella, Hodgson, Watts, Newton, Galea, Netherton. Substitutes: Wheeldon, Cockayne, Taylor, Fisher.

Referee: R Silverwood (Mirfield).