Lock Lane show spirit despite defeat to National Conference leaders West Hull

The match, which was preceded by a minute’s silence in tribute to former Lock Lane winger Keith Pickering, who sadly passed away during the week and whose family was in attendance, involved end-to-end action for much of the opening quarter, with the hosts going close on a couple of occasions.

But once Wests full-back Luke Moss, the overall man of the match, skipped through on 18 minutes the floodgates opened.

Bobby Tyson-Wilson was next over the whitewash some five minutes later and two opportunist tries around the half-hour mark effectively settled the issue.

The first went to Moss, who rose above home full-back Kyle Cranswick and, after juggling the ball, swept over unopposed.

Matt Kingdom grabbed the second, after the home defence had been unable to defuse another bomb. And a couple of penalties by Ryan Wilson, who had converted each try, sent the green and golds in at the break in buoyant mood – especially as the Lane’s Craig Duncan had been sin-binned in the closing seconds for reacting to what he believed to be an overzealous challenge.

Lock Lane, to their credit and with Chris Siddons leading by example, had the better of the second period in a rally that would have pleased Keith Pickering - but the damage had been done.

Tommy Newbould opened the Castleford outfit’s account before Duncan’s return, Calum Butler improving, and the Lane reduced the arrears to 18 points when Lucas Moon raced over on 56 minutes.

But Wests, who had Oscar Ellerington yellow-carded three minutes later for a high tackle, eased away when Josh Wood powered over on 66 minutes and Wilson booted his seventh goal.

Oliver Bloomer’s last second score for Lock Lane, which Butler improved, was nothing more than a consolation effort for the hosts who lost 34-16.