Castleford took another step towards finally securing the title after almost a century of trying with a narrow home victory against St Helens. The win was notable also for the fact that they were without a number of key front-line players.
Daryl Powell, the Tigers’ head coach, made no secret of how, with this third game of a gruelling 10-day period, he would rest several big names to not only make a point to the sport’s schedulers but also to ensure that his Castleford players do not burn out in the long term.
Powell was without more than 1,000 games worth of Super League experience , with England internationals such as Luke Gale, Zak Hardaker and Michael Shenton all missing. And while they have already beaten some of their opponents with remarkable free-flowing rugby on many occasions this season, given the circumstances this win surely ranks as their best of the year so far.
The added bonus for Castleford was that with Salford Red Devils losing at home against Wakefield, it extended the their own lead at the top of the Super League table to four points. “It’s one of the biggest wins I’ve been involved in, honestly,” Powell said. “We can’t get carried away with having a buffer at the top but we’ve got something special going here.”
St Helens had a 10-day turnaround for this game: another bone of contention for Powell pre-match given that his side played as recently as last Monday. Yet despite two earlier encouraging performances under their new coach, Justin Holbrook, the 12-4 half-time lead they established was eventually overturned with Tom Holmes’s late try nine minutes from time to inflict a first defeat on the Australian as coach.
“It’s a missed opportunity,” Holbrook said later. “They have the luxury of where they’re sitting in the table to rest players and they’ve earned that, but for us to fall just short is disappointing.”
Saints led when Mark Percival rounded Kieran Gill, one of several Castleford youngsters handed an opportunity in a much-changed side, to break the deadlock – though Gill would respond with a try of his own on debut as half-time approached. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook extended the lead to eight points with a close-range finish on 37 minutes, and from there the visiting side appeared to be in control.
However, the Tigers were able to keep their opponents scoreless in the second half, scoring two tries of their own to secure a precious victory.
First, Mike McMeeken’s wonderful solo effort on the hour set up a dramatic finale, with Castleford going ahead for the first, and only, time nine minutes from the end when Holmes reacted quickest to a desperate kick to touch down and extend the Tigers’ lead at the top of the table.
Right now it would take a brave man to back against Castleford staying at the top for the duration of the season.
Castleford Eden; Gill, Webster, Monaghan, Minikin; Roberts, Holmes; Lynch, McShane, Massey, Foster, Larroyer, Sene-Lefao. Interchange McMeeken, Moors, Hitchcox, Trueman.
Tries Gill, McMeeken, Holmes. Goals McShane 2.
St Helens Makinson; Swift, Morgan, Percival, Grace; Lomax, Smith; Walmsley, Roby, Amor, Taia, Wilkin, Knowles. Interchange Lee, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Douglas, Thompson.
Tries Percival, McCarthy-Scarsbrook. Goals Makinson 2.
Referee C Campbell. Attendance 8,515.
