First half horror show leaves Castleford Tigers with too much to do at St Helens

At times cut open too easily, at times showing spirited defence, an attack that looked clunky at best then could suddenly look threatening – it was a real mixed bag all right.

But it all added up to another Super League defeat and after a horror start the points were already effectively sealed by half-time.

The Tigers, who included three debutants in Lazarus Vaalepu, Keanan Brand and Ben McNamara, did improve in the second half and could have had more points than than the 12 they eventually accumulated. But their opponents had to play the whole of the second period with 12 men following a red card for Jackson Hastings and were already 30 points up by this stage.

To make matters worse for Cas results elsewhere mean that they still have work to do to avoid finishing in the bottom two.

It was a self inflicted early wound for Cas as they were on the attack in the fourth minute only to concede a punishing breakaway try.

Tom Weaver’s pass was easily intercepted by Jack Welsby who then raced 70 metres downfield to score the opening try.

Saints looked sharp and doubled their lead soon after when Shane Wright dummied his way past Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e to score an all too easy second try, to which Hastings added a second conversion.

More pressure followed and a mixture of luck and good defending kept the score at 12-0 until the 22nd minute as Jacob Douglas finished a slick move straight from a scrum.

Again Saints went back to back with Welsby – who was on fire in the first half – making a brilliant break that was completed by a first senior try for 18-year-old Tom Humphreys.

The also excellent Harry Robertson then made a break to set up Tristan Sailor to score under the posts.

Hastings kicked his fifth goal to make it 30-0, but then lost his cool. After being fortunate to avoid being penalised for a late tackle he was overly aggressive and late again in catching Tyler Dupree.

The Cas player naturally reacted and held onto Hastings who responded with punches that earned him a red card.

Blood poured from a cut above Dupree’s eye, but he was sin-binned by referee Tom Grant and was furious as he left the field. He appeared to want to go after Hastings and had to be restrained strongly by assistant coach Scott Murrell.

With both teams playing the first 10 minutes after the restart with 12 men it was an awful start to the second half with three mistakes each denying any flow.

When Saints finally put a decent move together they stretched their lead to 36 points with Nene Macdonald getting on the end of Robertson's kick to score and Sailor adding the conversion.

Cas responded better than earlier as they won the ball back from the restart and after a six again and a penalty they finally put some points on the board as Daejarn Asi’s clever pass sent Louis Senior over. Debutant McNamara converted from the touchline.

The visitors looked to score again a minute later after working their way downfield well, but after bumping off one player near the line Mikaele Ravalawa lost possession.

Suddenly the Tigers were looking a different side, admittedly with an extra man, and came close again when Weaver’s chip over went dead.

They had a deserved second try when Laulu-Togaga'e finished smartly after Weaver initially broke through a gap and linked with Dupree.

McNamara converted again and the visitors went close once more as Alex Mellor challenged for a high ball near the tryline. It appeared to be touched by a St Helens player and gathered by Welsby from an offside position, but video referee Chris Kendall ruled the evidence had been inconclusive and Saints were awarded a mystery relieving penalty.

Cas were unlucky again six minutes from time when Ravalawa tried to force his way over only to appear to be just short. It was sent to the video ref as no try and it was not, but it was only by a high tackle that the winger was prevented from scoring and a penalty was forthcoming – although no further punishment was handed out by way of sin-bin.

Moments later, however, after the latest in a long line of penalties against the home side Alex Walmsley was yellow carded.

And Saints finished with 10 men after Chris Matagi was sin-binned in the final minute, but it was too late to affect the result with Castleford left to regret giving themselves a mountain to climb with their poor first half display.