In-form Leeds Rhinos dazzle in second half as battling Castleford Tigers contribute to pulsating West Yorkshire derby

Sam Lisone and Harry Newman both grabbed doubles with Ryan Hall also getting on the trysheet in a 29-6 success, as the Rhinos moved up to third in the table with their third consecutive victory.

Cas had defended resolutely for large parts of this pulsating West Yorkshire derby and only buckled in the first half after the powerful introduction of Lisone off the bench just after the 30-minute mark.

They had even frustrated Leeds for a ten-minute spell with 12 men after Liam Horne was sent to the sin bin inside the opening ten minutes.

Before that, the Tigers had started from where they left off last week in the destructive 48-16 win over Salford Red Devils, with a penalty after a high shot by Kallum Watkins on Tom Amone got them up field and forced repeat sets against what looked a vulnerable Leeds defence.

However, the visitors defended well and gained a temporary man advantage when a kick towards birthday boy Zac Cini, who turned 25 today, was caught by Jake Connor, only for the half-back to be tripped by Horne right in front of referee Liam Rush who had no option but to send him to the sin bin.

What followed was an onslaught by Leeds as Cas survived a knock-on, an offside and a kick out on the full.

There were errors from the Rhinos too as Newman and Riley Lumb both dropped the ball when in decent try-scoring positions.

The game turned on the introduction of forward Lisone who won a penalty with his first monstrous carry. The Rhinos turned down the chance to make it 2-0 and it proved to be an instrumental decision as Connor found to Lisone to charge over to open the scoring.

Connor moved to kicking duties after a handful of misses from Lachie Miller in the nervy win over Hull FC last week, and the half-back knocked over the conversion before making 0-7 at the interval with a drop-goal.

However, Danny McGuire’s men narrowed the deficit to 6-7 just 36 seconds into the second half when Alex Mellor bumped off a few Rhinos tackles and played in Louis Senior who did the rest from halfway.

But, rather like the majority of the first half, they had more defending to do against a Leeds side who were startled back into life.

The Rhinos thought they had scored through Newman but James McDonnell had knocked on when trying to claim Brodie Croft’s crossfield kick.

However, a mistake from Innes Senior from another Croft kick, this one low to the far corner, allowed Newman in for the easy task of touching down.

Just three minutes later, another Croft kick was deflected kindly into the arms of Newman who found Hall for another comfortable Leeds try.

Cas heads refused to drop and they thought they had made it a nervy last 20 minutes remaining but another long-range Senior try was ruled out by the video ref.

Newman was then sent into a big gap for his second to finally settle the gripping contest, while there was still time for Lisone to celebrate a double as well.

Castleford: Hoy: Simm, Cinn, L Senior, I Senior, Asi, Milnes, Amone, Horne, Lawler, Westerman, Mellor, Singleton

Interchanges: Hall, Mustapha, Okoro, Atkin

Try: L Senior

Conversion: Milnes

Leeds: Miller, Hall, Newman, Handley, Lumb, Connor, Croft, Jenkins, O’Connor, Oledzki, McDonnell, Gannon, Watkins

Interchanges: Holroyd, Lisone, Palasia, Smith

Tries: Lisone (2), Newman (2), Hall

Conversions: Connor (4)

Drop Goal: Connor

Referee: Liam Rush