Castleford Tigers fans vote with their feet as poor run continues with Betfred Challenge Cup loss to Hull

An official attendance of 4,249 turned up at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle for the sixth round contest, but that figure included more than 2,000 visiting supporters and they were rewarded as they saw their team comfortably book their passage into the quarter-finals with a 32-8 result.

True, the game was televised live on BBC and staying in Super League is more important than a cup run this year for the Tigers, but it was all too depressingly familiar for the home fans who did turn up.

It was effectively all over with little more than half-an-hour gone with Hull 22-0 up and although Cas did show some spirit they were second best for long periods against opponents who not long ago went seven matches without a win.

There was some encouragement with head coach Andy Last getting a chance to have a look at several of his young players. Winger Will Tate and back rower Brad Martin, in particular, took their opportunity well while hooker Cain Robb, forward Sam Hall and half-back Jacob Hookem had valuable minutes on the pitch that can only stand them in good stead.

But the absence of more than 10 first teamers left Cas vulnerable and it did not take long for Hull to take control.

Former Cas player Josh Griffin strolled in for the first points of the game in the eighth minute.

The hosts were competitive, but as so often this season they struggled to be creative in their opponents’ half and it was the Black and Whites who scored again when Jake Clifford sent winger Adam Swift over.

Swift followed up with another soon after after combining with Liam Sutcliffe.

The Tigers’ resistance was disintegrating as two minutes later Griffin made a break and Clifford took the ball on before offloading off the ground to sent Jack Brown over.

Cas finally got on the scoreboard two minutes from half-time as a neat runaround involving Paul McShane led to Alex Sutcliffe sending winger Mahe Fonua over.

Any hopes of a comeback were soon extinguished after the break as pressure led to Jordan Lane scoring then Swift completed his hat-trick.

There was consolation as youngster Tate finished well for his first try in Cas colours.

But it was too little too late and the hosts could not make any further inroads even with their opponents reduced to 12 men as Josh Griffin was sin-binned for dissent after being ruled to have knocked on while trying to put the ball down over the line.

The last action of the fixture saw Cameron Scott go in at the corner for Hull, but he was denied a try by video referee Ben Thaler who ruled he had lost the ball in going over the line.