Jake Webster try snatches Castleford win over Leeds
Last Updated: 25/03/16 7:01am
Castleford ended their three-match losing run in style as they came from behind to condemn champions Leeds to an 18-14 defeat in a rip-roaring start to Super League's Easter programme.
The Tigers, unrecognisable from the side humiliated 56-12 at Warrington a week ago, stormed into an early 12-0 lead and, after going behind, dominated the second half and Jake Webster's 74th-minute try gained the spoils in front of a sell-out crowd of 11,426 at the Jungle.
Leeds, who have now lost five of their opening seven matches, were still handicapped by the absence of skipper Danny McGuire and were forced into making a late change when Brett Delaney pulled a hamstring in the warm-up, to be replaced by Jimmy Keinhorst.
The Rhinos had most of the early play and second rower Carl Ablett was held up over the line after they ran a penalty from in front of the posts but Castleford then seized control.
Centre Webster looked to have opened the scoring only for slow-motion replays to indicate he lost control of the ball over the line, but there was no stopping veteran prop Andy Lynch when he charged onto Luke Gale's pass to touch down on nine minutes.
A superb offload from prop Grant Millington then got exciting full-back Denny Solomona into space and kept the ball alive for the supporting Webster to go over for the Tigers' second try.
Gale converted both to put his side 12-0 up and Leeds looked in a state of disarray at that stage.
However, they soon found their rhythm and struck with three tries in the second quarter to take the lead.
Left winger Ash Handley regathered the ball from Brett Ferres' grubber kick and produced a wonderful inside pass for Joel Moon to touch down.
As the Rhinos maintained the momentum, hooker Beau Falloon combined with the ever-dangerous Ablett to create a try for centre Kallum Watkins, who then juggled with Zak Hardaker's long, looping pass before sending his winger Tom Briscoe over for their third try.
Liam Sutcliffe managed one of the difficult conversions as Leeds led 14-12 and they could have been further ahead at the break as both Handley and Briscoe were held up over the line.
It was end to end again in the second half as both sides continued to give the ball plenty of air.
Hardaker pulled a stunning last-ditch tackle to take Solomona into touch when he looked a likely scorer while at the other end Jy Hitchcox brought down Sutcliffe with an ankle tap after he had gone 70 metres upfield from an interception.
Leeds were hanging on and were relieved to see referee James Child disallow a third Castleford try on the hour, harshly ruling the ball had gone forward from Webster to hooker Paul McShane.
The Rhinos struggled to get out of their own half in the last quarter and during a rare foray near their opponents line Watkins was hauled down short by a splendid tackle from debutant centre Greg Minikin.
And the save proved crucial when Gale spotted a gap in the Leeds defence seven minutes from the end to put Webster over for the match-winning try.
