We didn’t deserve to win after poor start – Chester

Wakefield Trinity coach Chris Chester refused to make excuses for his side’s 28-26 defeat at Castleford.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Apr 2019, 00:05 BST
Updated 19th Apr 2019, 00:09 BST
Castleford's Mike McMeeken is tackled by Wakefield's Craig Kopczak. Picture Jonathan GawthorpeCastleford's Mike McMeeken is tackled by Wakefield's Craig Kopczak. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe
Castleford's Mike McMeeken is tackled by Wakefield's Craig Kopczak. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe

They were 22-0 down early on after a dismal start to the game.

Trinity staged a second-half fightback, with Mason Caton-Brown scoring two tries on his ‘second debut’ for the club.

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But they fell agonisingly short of a fourth successive win and the chance to go level with Castleford in third.

“It was a missed opportunity,” admitted Chester.

“We could have nicked it at the end but I don’t think we deserved to off the back of that start we had.

“Cas were down to two interchanges and we had a chance as we always knew they would struggle towards the back end of the half.

“But early on our contacts weren’t good and you can’t give a side like Castleford that amount of ball.

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“We probably gave them too much respect in that first 40 minutes and we need to look at reasons why dropping off tackles and loose in the ruck like that.

“We’ve had a crazy spell with injuries and our halves – Ben Reynolds and Rocky Hampshire – have only had two sessions together, but we can’t make excuses.”

Wakefield, already without eight first-teamers injured, lost another three players with Joe Arundel having suffered a suspected torn pectoral muscle and Matty Ashurst (calf) and Dave Fifita (foot) looking doubtful for Monday’s visit of Leeds Rhinos.

Matt Whitley scored two tries as Catalans Dragons beat second-bottom London Broncos 38-6 to stay sixth in Betfred Super League.

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Catalans, edged out by a single point at home by Hull FC last time out, emphatically returned to form with a six-try showing that left the Broncos just two points above bottom-placed Leeds Rhinos.

Whitley jinked free to score, before Lewis Tierney crossed, with Sam Tomkins kicking the extras and a penalty for the French visitors.

After the break, Dragons picked up where they left off, with tries from Greg Bird, Arthur Romano and Tomkins, the scrum-half adding the extras to make it 30-0.

He also converted Whitley’s second try – and added a late penalty – while London grabbed a consolation try with Mark Ioane streaking clear to dot down and Morgan Smith converted.

Related topics:Chris ChesterChesterCastlefordTrinityWakefield