No Wembley for Castleford Tigers as St Helens knock them out of Challenge Cup

Saints scored 16 points in each half to run out 32-8 winners to end the Tigers’ Wembley hopes for another year.

The visitors were ahead from the fifth minute when former Cas favourite Daryl Clark burrowed his way over from close range for the opening try after a penalty had given them good field position to attack from. Jackson Hastings added the first of his three conversions on the night to make it 6-0.

Saints went back to back as they struck again from the next set, with Lewis Murphy crossing following a break involving Curtis Sironen and Tristan Sailor.

It looked like being a long night for the Tigers, but they dug in and came close through determined runs from Tom Weaver and Krystian Mapapalangi that were only stopped by desperate defenders.

A great run from Mikaele Ravalawa put the hosts on attack again and Daejarn Asi's kick pushed Saints back to their own try line again.

More pressure was repelled and the visitors then went close as it needed a try saving play from Jason Qareqare to deny them.

Mapapalangi’s break had Cas back on the attack, but again they unable to turn pressure into points and it was St Helens who scored next with a highly controversial try.

It looked like the ball was knocked forward, but after Mark Percival was first to get to the loose ball he grounded it over the line and the score was allowed, with no video referee to overrule match official Aaron Moore who is no stranger to controversies on this ground.

It meant the half-time score was 16-0 and left the Tigers with a mountain to climb after the break.

They gave it a go and were back in it after being the first team to score in the second half. Seven minutes in some crisp handling ended with Mapapalangi sending Qareqare over for a try out wide that Tom Weaver could not convert.

There was also a late hit on Mapapalangi that resulted in Kyle Feldt being sin-binned, but the Tigers lost their impressive centre as well as he had to leave the field for a head injury assessment.

This was the home team’s big chance to get themselves right into the game and they exerted some big pressure at this stage, but were unable to score again despite their man advantage, wingers Ravalawa and Qareqare going closest.

Saints, on the other hand, scored with their first chance of the second half as Murphy collected a looping pass to race over.

By this stage the Tigers had lost yet another player forced off for a HIA with Qareqare off the pitch.

St Helens piled on more agony for the hosts when they scored again with Ignatius Paasi barging over for a try converted by Hastings.

Cas did at least have the consolation of a second try when Ashton Golding – who had earlier returned to the field after passing a head injury assessment – raced over on a determined charge 10 minutes from time.

But Saints had the final word when Feldt charged over two minutes from time.