Luke Gale helps Castleford seal 30-22 win at Huddersfield in Super League
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 03/06/16 10:47pm
Luke Gale marked signing a new five-year contract with a try and five goals to lead Castleford to their first win at Huddersfield since June 2009.
Scrum-half and skipper Gale, who this week committed to the Tigers until the end of 2021, orchestrated the 30-22 success which consolidates their place in the top eight, while making the Giants' task of avoiding the 'Middle Eight' scrap to avoid possible relegation even more difficult.
Super League's top try scorer Denny Solomona extended his season's tally to 22 with two more touchdowns while Jake Webster also grabbed a brace of tries as Cas bounced back from last week's home defeat to Wigan.
Scores from Solomona, Webster and Gale helped Cas to a 16-10 half-time lead, with former Tigers scrum-half Jamie Ellis and Leroy Cudjoe replying for the home side.
Solomona - with his 11th try in the last six games - and Webster extended the Tigers' lead after the break, while Ryan Brierley and Jake Connor scored late consolations for the hosts, Ellis finishing with three goals.
Huddersfield were dealt an early blow when talismanic half-back Danny Brough failed to recover from a dead leg picked up at Widnes, allowing high-profile recent signing Brierley to regain his place after missing the last two matches.
Cas welcomed back previously suspended Nathan Massey in place of on-loan Giant Larne Patrick, who was unable to play against his parent club.
The Tigers went ahead in the sixth minute when a Gale kick which bounced free for Solomona to touchdown.
The Giants hit back when a flowing move down the right involving Cudjoe and Jermaine McGilvary ended with Ellis crossing then converting his own try.
A heated Yorkshire derby descended into fisticuffs midway through the first half with Lee Jewitt and Josh Johnson receiving 10 minutes in the sin-bin as a result of the fracas.
The Giants, helped forward by an advantageous early penalty count, had most of the possession but it was Cas who regained the lead when Gale put Webster through a weak tackle to score.
Ben Crooks almost added another for the visitors shortly afterwards but was called back for a forward pass, before a Junior Moors break sent the supporting Gale over from 30 metres out.
Cudjoe grabbed a try back just before the break after the Tigers failed to deal with Ellis' slightly mishit kick to the corner.
But the Tigers piled on early pressure after the restart and Gale and Luke Dorm put Solomona in on the overlap to extend their lead once more.
Gale added a penalty then Webster scored his second try just after the hour mark to all but seal the Tigers eighth win of the season.
Former Leigh star Brierley grabbed his fifth try since joining the Giants and Connor scored another for the Giants just before the end but they proved to be pure consolation, Ellis finishing with three goals from his four attempts.
