Castleford hold on to claim 16-14 Super League victory over Leeds Rhinos; Liam Watts' 71st-minute converted try proves the difference despite Rhyse Martin's late try in response for the Rhinos
Monday 18 April 2022 19:43, UK
Castleford Tigers held on during a dramatic final 10 minutes at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle to secure a 16-14 Super League victory over the Leeds Rhinos.
Rhyse Martin converted his second try of the afternoon to bring the Rhinos to within two points with seven minutes to go, ensuring a tense ending to a difficult afternoon for the home side.
It was a error-strewn performance from the Tigers, Watt's try on the 71st minute providing the decisive moment that ultimately secured the points against a much improved Rhinos side, who were heavily beaten by the same opponents in a Challenge Cup game last month.
Castleford were first on the scoreboard, with James Clare stepping back inside from the wing, Derrell Olpherts then going over in the other corner just nine minutes later off the back of a brilliant break and kick from Paul McShane.
But Leeds went in at half-time trailing by just two points. It was a kick from 17-year-old Jack Sinfield, son of Leeds great Kevin Sinfield, on his competitive debut that brought Leeds back into the contest right on the brink of the break, Martin pouncing on the loose ball to score.
Leeds grabbed the first points of the second half in the 55th minute after a knock-on from Joe Westerman led to Mikolaj Oledzki being held up over the line, a penalty just seconds later bringing it back to 8-8.
A sin bin for James Bentley in the 62nd minute for some reckless play in the tackle proved a crucial moment in the encounter, the Tigers going 10-8 in front as O'Brien converted the penalty. Watts capitalised further on the man advantage just before Bentley returned to the field, Jake Trueman providing a fine offload to the prop.
The Tigers weren't over the line just yet, as a late moment of brilliance from Kruise Leeming sent Martin over for his second and brought the visitors back within two points. Despite a tense seven minutes, the Tigers held out for their fourth victory in a row.
A promising debut by the teenage Sinfield was not enough to prevent the Rhinos suffering another defeat - their seventh in nine Super League games this season.
Leeds interim boss Jamie Jones-Buchanan, who is expected to make way for a new head coach by the end of the week, handed debuts to Sinfield and another 17-year-old, Max Simpson, in the absence of six injured backs and watched them produce a spirited performance.
Kevin Sinfield, who was just 16 when he made his Super League debut in 1997, was among the 9,372 crowd at the Jungle to watch his son help create both a try and a fine impression despite being on the losing side.
The goal-kicking half-back, who wore number 32, the same shirt his father donned in his first season 25 years ago, lost his experienced half-back partner Blake Austin inside the first 10 minutes after he cut his head attempting to make a tackle on Castleford second rower Kenny Edwards.
Piling on the misery, Edwards managed to fling a pass out of the failed tackle to right winger Clare, who wrong-footed the cover to open the scoring on his first appearance of the season.
Clare would have had a second try but for a poor final pass by full-back Niall Evalds with the line open but the Tigers added a second on 17 minutes when left winger Olpherts collected skipper McShane's accurate kick to the
corner.
With Toulouse holding a 12-0 lead against Hull KR, bottom place in the table loomed for the Rhinos but Gareth O'Brien was wide with both conversion attempts and, despite being outplayed for most of the first half, Leeds managed to cut the deficit to just two points before the break.
When centre Jake Mamo failed to clear the danger posed by Sinfield's grubber kick on the last tackle, it presented second rower Martin with a simple try, which he goaled to make it 8-6.
The try breathed new life into the visitors and Sinfield came more into the game with a couple of forceful runs, one of which ended with him being held up over the line.
A high tackle on second rower James Donaldson enabled Martin to bring his side level but Leeds were down to 12 men for a 10-minute spell when second rower Bentley was sin-binned for a high tackle on Watts.
That enabled O'Brien to nudge his side back in front with the penalty and the game was up for the visitors when Watts took stand-off Jake Trueman's pass to score the match-winning try nine minutes from the end.
O'Brien's conversion made it 16-8 but the Rhinos had the final say when Martin finished off winger Ash Handley's break for his second try, to which he added the goal.
Victorious coach Lee Radford thought his team had too many mistakes in them but acknowledged their energy levels after what had been a hectic Easter weekend.
"Everybody's energy levels are low today and whoever kept hold of it would obviously come out with the spoils.
"It was a typical Bank Holiday Monday game I think."
Interim Leeds head coach Jones-Buchanan thought he saw some real improvements from his side.
"There was a lot to be delighted about in there, I am over the moon for some of the individual.
"Max Simpson, Jack Sinfield, Jarrod O'Connor, Morgan Gannon, they are the root of the next generation going out there and doing it tough at the minute.
"They are the foundation that this club needs to build it's next generation on."
Both Castleford and Leeds are next in action on Friday, with the Tigers up against League Leaders, St Helens, live on Sky Sports Arena at 8pm. Leeds will be facing Toulouse in a bottom of the table clash at Headingley.
