'It's not great': Castleford Tigers boss Lee Radford reveals mixed emotions after emphatic win at Hull FC

Lee Radford admits the manner of Castleford Tigers' win at Hull FC took away some of the enjoyment.

The Tigers boss was back at the MKM Stadium for the first time since his sacking in March 2020 and he enjoyed a memorable homecoming, guiding his side to an emphatic 46-18 victory.

Boos rang around the stadium as Castleford ran in 38 unanswered points, leaving Radford with mixed emotions.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"I saw the fans leaving with 16 minutes to go and that's difficult for any club, any coach and any group of players," said Radford, a two-time Challenge Cup winner as Hull coach.

It was a dream night for Lee Radford and Castleford Tigers. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson/YP)It was a dream night for Lee Radford and Castleford Tigers. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson/YP)
It was a dream night for Lee Radford and Castleford Tigers. (Picture: Bruce Rollinson/YP)

"I've got a lot of friends within that group so it's not great. As I said prior to the game, some of the things we did here will never ever be taken away from the club, the team, myself. I made some friends for life here.

"I would have rather been booed and hated and then it would have felt sweet. I can't describe it, it's a funny one.

"It was weird pulling in. It felt a bit surreal. I might have been on edge prior to the game and the players might have sensed that.

"It was a bit of a strange evening."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The win moves Castleford to within two points of fourth-placed Catalans Dragons and, perhaps more importantly, leaves them four clear of Hull in seventh.

"We'll finish as high as we possibly can," said Radford.

"The next five or six weeks in terms of who we play is really important. We've just got to keep chipping away like we are."

Brett Hodgson, meanwhile, was at a loss to explain another collapse from his side, who have now conceded 196 in four games.

"It was nowhere near good enough in the second half," said Hodgson.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It's difficult when you're in a rut. You have to fight your way back out of it."

Jake Connor returned from injury but he failed to have the desired influence before being substituted with 20 minutes to go.

"He was taken off," said Hodgson. "It was a decision that I made that was best for the team at that given moment."

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.