Castleford Tigers 29 Leeds Rhinos 18: Hat-trick hero Greg Eden turns on the magic

The prolific winger scored a hat-trick versus them for a second time this season as Super League leaders Castleford Tigers rounded off Magic Weekend with a fitting finale in Newcastle.

Given Eden also grabbed a treble against St Helens in the Challenge Cup last weekend, too, and now has 21 tries for the season it leaves everyone asking ‘Denny who?’

Leeds had hoped to eke out the victory that would see them go level with their derby rivals and, at least, make it tougher for them than the last time they met when Eden scored three in a 66-1o destruction at Wheldon Road.

Brian McDermott’s side certainly fulfilled the latter but – having been level at the break – they will see this as an opportunity missed.

So often a game of such magnitude can swing on one moment.

Here, it was perhaps when, with the fixture perfectly poised at 6-6, Ash Handley fumbled playing the ball 30m from his own line in the 45th minute.

He had come on in the first half after McDermott ‘hooked’ Tom Briscoe, ironically, following a series of errors from the former England winger.

Handley’s mistake proved costly, though, as, within moments Eden scored his first after some slick handling and suddenly Daryl Powell’s side seemed to find all of their traditional rhythm that had often been missing in the opening period.

For instance, Michael Shenton – who had endured a problematic first half – came up with a truly outstanding flick pass behind his back four minutes later to send Eden in for his second.

Luke Gale slotted another touchline conversion to make it 18-6 and it was clear from thereon in what would occur.

Admittedly, Leeds finally escaped a period of sustained pressure only for Danny McGuire to kick directly to Tom Holmes, the 21-year-old stand-off who scampered 80m showing great confidence to outrun Handley at the death for his first try for his hometown club.

Once Matt Parcell ushered a pass forward to Ryan Hall in his own 20m, Shenton’s angled run split Leeds once more for Eden to complete his treble.

In fairness to Rhinos, thankfully there was no capitulation like the previous time these sides met.

Joel Moon, one of their better players, produced a fine finish of his own that Liam Sutcliffe improved, Sutcliffe also converting his own try after angling over off Stevie Ward’s pass.

Gale’s 72nd-minute drop goal in between, however, made sure any Rhinos hopes of a late rally were extinguished.

It proved a fascinating game full of intrigue and no little drama. Gale, the Castleford scrum-half, seemed to spend most of the first half trying to irritate opponents whether it be niggle in the tackle or his constant chatter, even when Sutcliffe was lining up the penalty that drew Leeds level in the 35th minute.

There was some punishing defence, illustrated not least by the sight of Tigers’ Grant Millington and Jake Webster both departing with head wounds, blood pouring from the former’s in particular. Leeds’s swarming defence, though, ensured their rivals initially could rarely get their offload game into action and it was McDermott’s side rather that looked the more dangerous.

They actually got over Castleford’s goalline three times in the first half alone via Brad Singelton, Ward and Anthony Mullally but each time were held up by committed defence.

Admittedly, Leeds did score moments after the first such instance as Kallum Watkins got on the outside of Shenton to glide over in the 13th minute.

That was in response to Castleford’s opening try in the fourth minute when Shenton rose high to tip down Gale’s kick into the arms of the supporting scrum-half who also converted.

However, Shenton was at fault soon after when he should have provided Gale with a second try after breaking clear from Jesse Sene-Lefao’s deft pass on the left.

The captain drew Leeds full-back Ashton Golding but his pass was too low and Gale fumbled when a try was all but certain.

Castleford should have been 12-0 up at that point but Leeds, at first, made the most of the let-off.

Shenton spilled himself, too, when Tigers were pressing hard later on and was also ruled to have caused an obstruction which denied Eden a brilliant try after they had raided from a scrum 10m from their own line.

But the second period was a different matter as Shenton showed yet again why he should be back in the England squad and Gale concentrated simply on his kicking and distribution to pick Leeds apart.

Castleford Tigers: Hardaker; Minikin, Webster, Shenton, Eden; Holmes, Gale; Lynch, McShane, Millington, Sene-Lefao, McMeeken, Milner. Substitutes: Massey, Moors, Cook, Foster.

Leeds Rhinos: Golding; Briscoe, Watkins, Sutcliffe, Hall; McGuire, Moon; Singleton, Parcell, Cuthbertson, Ferres, Ward, Jones-Buchanan. Substitutes: Burrow, Delaney, Handley, Mullally.

Referee: P Bentham (Warrington).