Leeds Rhinos 38 Castleford Tigers 24: Danny McGuire gets sympathy treatment as challenge laid bare

The Rhinos legend was serenaded by the South Stand in the closing stages of Sunday's West Yorkshire derby, a sure-fire sign that his Castleford Tigers side had failed to do their job.

McGuire wrote his own scripts as a player but is struggling to get a tune out of a squad that appears ill-equipped for the rigours of Super League.

The Castleford boss was left with more questions than answers after watching his team slump to a fourth straight defeat in front of a crowing home crowd.

The Tigers showed flickers of life late on but Leeds gave the appearance of a side that had put the cue on the rack.

While Castleford can point to a challenging start that has seen them face Hull KR, St Helens and the Rhinos in the opening three rounds, there has been little evidence to suggest they can improve on last year's 10th-place finish.

By contrast, Leeds were handed favourable early fixtures and have a platform to build on after making it back-to-back wins.

Jake Connor stood up for the Rhinos in the absence of Brodie Croft, Matt Frawley, Cameron Smith and Lachie Miller, waking the hosts from an early slumber with his first Super League try for the club in an influential performance.

Jack Sinfield made a timely return from a foot injury but Leeds looked like a team missing their first-choice halves in the early stages.

Sinfield was guilty of two mistakes – the first after Connor had forced a drop-out with a neat grubber kick – while emergency half-back Morgan Gannon put too much on a pass to Riley Lumb in a good position close to the Castleford line.

When Gannon got another chance minutes later, the pass missed its mark and forced Lumb into a fumble that ultimately cost him.

The young winger got to the tryline but was adjudged to have bounced the ball under pressure from Sam Wood.

Just as the Headingley faithful began to fear another frustrating afternoon, Connor took the game by the scruff of the neck.

The full-back always looked like the man most likely to unlock the Castleford defence and he eventually found a way through in the 22nd minute.

With the Tigers expecting a kick on the last, Connor stepped off his right boot and dazzled George Lawler with more fancy footwork before finishing in heavy traffic.

When Connor turned provider to put Keenan Palasia over for his first Leeds try following a late offload by James Bentley, Castleford were staring down the barrel.

Sam Lisone entered the stage like a man who sensed an opportunity to cause havoc against a lightweight Castleford pack – and he had an immediate impact.

After the powerful prop was dragged down just short, the Rhinos kept pressing and were soon celebrating their third try.

Bentley appeared to have run down a blind alley before Ash Handley rescued the play, the centre combining vision and skill to send through a kick that was finished by Harry Newman.

Castleford's ill-discipline prevented them from issuing any kind of response.

The one time they got the rub of the green from referee Marcus Griffiths and entered Leeds territory, the Tigers lacked conviction in a rudderless set.

McGuire faced a thankless task at the interval – and it got worse before it got better.

Sinfield finished a flowing move that featured a kick from Ryan Hall and a classy touch by Newman before Handley stepped through all too easily to get in on the act.

Castleford were primed for a drubbing but scored a try out of nowhere to give their travelling supporters something to cheer about.

A short ball from Joe Westerman opened Leeds up and Fletcher Rooney backed up the break by Lawler to score under the posts.

Rather than signal the start of a brighter spell for the Tigers, normal service quickly resumed.

Handley stormed through Castleford's right edge and Bentley kept the play alive before Sinfield put Hall over for his 256th Super League try.

With the points long since in the bag, Arthur had the luxury of giving the veteran winger the final quarter off.

Alfie Edgell was introduced on the right wing but it was fellow youngster Lumb who scored next in the left corner.

Leeds were punished for overplaying when Zac Cini picked off James McDonnell's flick pass to score an intercept try and caused more frustration for Brad Arthur after Connor's loose ball allowed the Tigers to get into the position for Tex Hoy to put Jeremiah Simbiken over.

Innes Senior gave McGuire something else to cling to with a lung-busting effort from deep but it has the makings of a long season for Castleford.

Leeds Rhinos: Connor, Hall, Newman, Handley, Lumb, Gannon, Sinfield, Oledzki, Ackers, Jenkins, Bentley, McDonnell, Palasia. Substitutes: O'Connor, Lisone, Holroyd, Edgell.

Tries: Connor (22), Palasia (26), Newman (36), Sinfield (42), Handley (49), Hall (57), Lumb (65)

Goals: Connor 5/7

Castleford Tigers: Rooney, I Senior, Cini, Wood, Kershaw, Asi, Hoy, Namo, Horne, Lawler, Simbiken, Mellor, Westerman. Substitutes: Griffin, Rimbu, Mustapha, Hill.

Tries: Rooney (52), Cini (71), Simbiken (76), Senior (78)

Goals: Hoy 4/4

Referee: Marcus Griffiths.