Justin Carney scores four as Castleford rout Wakefield
Last Updated: 19/07/15 9:09pm
Winger Justin Carney scored four second-half tries to help Castleford to a comfortable 58-20 derby victory over Super League's bottom club Wakefield on Sunday.
The Tigers were level at 12-12 until they found their groove to run in five tries in a decisive 12-minute spell either side of half-time.
The win clinched the points that take them level with fourth-placed Huddersfield, although with a vastly inferior points difference, going into the final round of fixtures before the split for the Super 8s.
Carney was indebted for his three tries to scrum-half Luke Gale, who was sorely missed by Castleford during their surprise defeat at Hull and scored 22 points on his return with a try and nine goals from 10 attempts.
Wakefield, too, were glad to have their inspirational scrum-half Tom Smith back from a three-match absence with a chronic knee injury.
He made his presence felt after five minutes when centre Reece Lyne was the first to reach his grubber kick to claim the game's first try, converted by former Castleford centre Joe Arundel.
The visitors struck back with two tries in four minutes. Prop Grant Millington proved unstoppable as he charged over from 10 metres out and Gale scooped up a loose ball after Wakefield passing broke down on their own 20-metre line.
Gale kicked both goals for a 12-6 lead and they would have been further in front had hooker Adam Milner held a pass from Gale with the line breached.
Wakefield coach Brian Smith was forced to reshuffle his side when Kevin Locke went off with a shoulder injury, Jacob Miller switching from stand-off to full-back.
The home side gave a debut to Ireland prop Anthony Mullally but it was former St Helens front-rower Anthony Walker who caught the eye on his third appearance.
He was turned onto his back after one impressive charge to the line but he was not denied on 35 minutes when he took a short pass from hooker Paul McShane to barge over for his first try for the club.
Arundel's second goal levelled the scores but the Tigers added a third try on half-time when Mike McMeeken forced his way over out wide after switching from the second row to centre after in-form winger Denny Solomona had hobbled off.
Gale's goal made it 18-12 at the break and Castleford put the game to bed with four more tries in a devastating nine-minute spell early in the second half.
A break from deep inside his own half by captain Michael Shenton got supporting second-rower Oliver Holmes over while full-back Luke Dorn sliced through to claim his side's fifth try, Gale again converting.
Carney had been kept quiet up to that point but he exploded into life with two tries in three minutes.
At 40-12, it looked like being a rout but promising winger Tom Johnstone went over for two tries in five minutes to demonstrate the Wildcats' spirit.
However, Carney touched down Gale's grubber kick to complete his hat-trick on 72 minutes and collected another pin-point pass for his fourth try six minutes later, while in between Dorn cut through a tiring defence for his second try.
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