In-form Hull FC move up to second in Super League by beating battling Castleford Tigers

First half tries from Herman Ese’ese, Aidan Sezer and Tom Briscoe laid the foundations for the visitors, with Lewis Martin essentially sealing the win in the second half moments after Innes Senior had been sent to the sin bin.

Late tries from Tex Hoy and Josh Simm gave the scoreline a more respectable look but Cas will point to a controversial decision to penalise Daniel Okoro for an incorrect play-the-ball moments before Briscoe’s try which gave Hull the upper hand.

While John Cartwright’s men are flying at the top end of Super League, the Tigers are now just one win from their opening six games, although they started this intriguing fixture in a positive manner.

Judah Rimbu forced Martin into an early knock on which allowed for a lovely flowing move from right to left but Daejarn Asi’s kick drifted out of play before Senior could get there.

However, it was the visitors who opened the scoring after their first meaningful attack in the tenth minute.

The excellent Ese’ese, who signed a new three-year contract with Hull FC before kick off, received a reserve pass before twisting, spinning and powering over the line. There was nothing the Cas defence could do.

It really was a sucker punch though for the Tigers. However, instead of their heads dropping, they regrouped and got back on level terms after a fantastic team move which was started by the integral Joe Westerman, who left out of last week’s defeat at home to Catalans Dragons by Danny McGuire, and was ended by Rowan Milnes with aplomb.

Hull FC, who have already exceeded their 2024 Super League points total, are seemingly growing in confidence week upon week, and they reestablished their lead through the excellent Sezer, who was at the heart of everything good about the visitors’ play, after great play by Ese’ese, Briscoe and Jack Ashworth.

The home side went to the other end and applied some pressure on the Hull defence but they were on the wrong end of a controversial play-the-ball decision against Okoro, with Cas not using the Captain’s Challenge available to them.

And they were punished as Briscoe raced through at the other end to score in the corner.

From what could have been 12-12 at half-time, was now an 18-6 lead, and the impetus, for the Black and Whites at the interval.

It didn’t get much better for Cas at the start of the second half when Senior was sin-binned after his shoulder connected with Cade Cust’s head. The half-back failed his resulting HIA.

And the visitors made the man advantage count when Martin stole over in the corner.

Hull survived their own sin-binning when Amir Bourouh was giving ten minutes on the sidelines but it wasn’t until the final ten minutes until the Tigers found a bit of extra energy with Hoy, who probably scored the try of the night after streaking from his own half, and Simm going over.

But it was all too little, too late.

Castleford: Hoy, Simm, Cini, Wood, Senior, Asi, Milnes, Lawler, Rimbu, Singleton, Hodson, Mellor, Westerman

Interchanges: Robb, Mustapha, Okoro, Griffin

Tries: Milnes, Hoy, Simm

Conversions: Milnes

Hull FC: Rapana, Briscoe, Litten, Chamberlain, Martin, Cust, Sezer, Ese’ese, Bourouh, Knight, Fash, Lane, Asiata

Interchanges: Ashworth, Eseh, Kirby, Moy

Tries: Ese’ese, Sezer, Briscoe, Martin

Conversions: Sezer (3)

Penalties: Sezer