Jack Walker reviews Castleford’s brilliant comeback win against Wakefield.
MATCH TIMELINE
| Minute | Scoring Play | Score |
| 7th | Try Joe Westerman (Wakefield) | 0-4 Wakefield |
| 7th | Goal Ryan Hampshire (Wakefield) | 0-6 Wakefield |
| 10th | Goal Ryan Hampshire (Wakefield) | 0-8 Wakefield |
| 14th | Try Cheyse Blair (Castleford) | 4-8 Wakefield |
| 15th | Goal Danny Richardson (Castleford) | 6-8 Wakefield |
| 16th | Try Derrell Olpherts (Castleford) | 10-8 Castleford |
| 25th | Try Tom Johnstone (Wakefield) | 10-12 Wakefield |
| 32nd | Try James Clare (Castleford) | 14-12 Castleford |
| 39th | Goal Ryan Hampshire (Wakefield) | 14-14 |
| 40th | Drop Goal Jacob Miller (Wakefield) | 14-15 Wakefield |
| 43rd | Try James Clare (Castleford) | 18-15 Castleford |
| 49th | Goal Danny Richardson (Castleford) | 20-15 Castleford |
| 52nd | Try Ollie Holmes (Castleford) | 24-15 Castleford |
| 52nd | Goal Ryan Hampshire (Castleford) | 26-15 Castleford |
| 56th | Try Derrell Olpherts (Castleford) | 30-15 Castleford |
| 79th | Goal Danny Richardson (Castleford) | 32-15 Castleford |
MATCH SUMMARY
Derrell Olpherts and James Clare both scored twice as Castleford came from behind to beat Wakefield Trinity 32-15.
Joe Westerman and Tom Johnstone crossed for Trinity before Jacob Miller’s drop goal saw them lead 15-14 at the break after an end-to-end first forty.
After Westerman opened the scoring, Cheyse Blair and Olpherts’ first turned the game on its head in the space of two minutes, but Johnstone’s try drew the visitors level before Miller’s single point gave them the advantage at half time.
Despite an impressive first half, though, the away side could not repeat it in the second as Castleford romped to victory.
Clare’s second put the Tigers back in front just after the restart before Trinity’s James Batchelor saw yellow for a professional foul and the home side took full advantage with Ollie Holmes and Olpherts going over when Wakefield were down to 12.
Castleford came into the game off the back of the 36-18 loss to Catalans in their last game, but rallied to show the spirit and determination that will be crucial in their bid for silverware this year.
The lead changed hands five times in an evenly-contested first half, but was not to change again as the hosts stepped up through the gears.
The final twenty-five minutes were somehow tryless, despite the home side’s best efforts, but their earlier work proved enough and, after Wakefield had Romain Navarette sent to the sin-bin late on, the Tigers recorded a staggering 14th consecutive win in the fixture to move second in the Super League table – level on points with surprise leaders Huddersfield.
GAME HIGHLIGHT
The first half showed Wakefield’s ability, but the second showed their indiscipline. James Batchelor’s sin-binning for the professional foul on Ollie Holmes changed the game and all but handed the win to the opposition given that the only two tries of the second half came soon after. After Batchelor re-entered the fray, his side’s momentum and buoyancy was lost, as was the game when Navarette picked up his side’s second sin-bin of the night.
THE RESULT
Castleford Tigers 32
Tries: Blair, Olpherts (2), Clare (2), Holmes
Goals: Richardson (4)
Drop Goals: n/a
Wakefield Trinity 15
Tries: Westerman, Johnstone
Goals: Hampshire (3)
Drop Goals: Miller
SQUADS
Castleford Tigers: Rankin, Olpherts, Mata’utia, Shenton, Clare, Trueman, Richardson, Watts, McShane, Griffin, Holmes, Blair, Massey.
Interchanges: Millington, McMeeken, Smith, O’Neill.
Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Tupou, Lyne, Arundel, Johnstone, Hampshire, Miller, Kopczak, K. Wood, Tanginoa, Ashurst, Pitts, Westerman.
Interchanges: Navarrete, Batchelor, J. Wood, Tangata.
Referee: James Child.
