Toothless Tigers lose to bottom of the table Bulls after first half horror show
If anyone thought Castleford Tigers could not sink much lower they were made to think again with a defensive display that was inept at times at bottom of the table Bradford Bulls.
It was the Bulls’ last home game of their first season back in Super League so they were always going to put in a bit of extra effort, but they came into the match on a run of just one win in 12 matches.
So for them to be 26-4 up at half-time and to eventually win 32-22 showed just how poorly this Castleford team is finishing the campaign.
They simply did not seem to want to defend in the first half as Bradford rarely failed to score when they had possession in opposition territory.
In contrast to that the Tigers had opportunities without ever really convincing they were ever going to score enough points to stay in the contest.
A bottom two finish is still possible and they are ending the year as a bottom two team – there is no getting away from that.
Cas made a shocking start and never really recovered throughout a sorry first 40 minutes. While there was significant improvement after the break, when they scored three tries to one, they had given themselves far too much to do.
The hosts were ahead from the fourth minute when Joe Mellor's offload sent Riley Dean over under the posts and former Tiger Chris Atkin converted.
The lead was soon doubled with a long ball out wide giving another former Featherstone player Connor Wynne an easy finish for a second try.
All the decisions were going the Bulls’ way and they scored again as a high kick was not dealt with initially. With the home team retaining possession former Featherstone Rovers full-back Caleb Aekins followed up his own kick to get the ball down over the line according to young referee Matty Lynn. Replays were inconclusive as to whether the try should have stood, but it was 18-0 nevertheless.
The Tigers briefly fought back with a rare successful move as Krystian Mapapalangi – back in the side at centre after injury – cleverly sent Louis Senior over in the corner. Tom Weaver’s conversion attempt hit the post.
A big chance to reduce the deficit followed as further pressure was exerted off the back of a couple of penalties, but ideas were in short supply as the hosts comfortably held on.
The hosts showed how to finish when Dan Russell was allowed to crash over all too easily.
And they were over again just before the break as there was a lack of committed tackling allowing Waqa Blake to finish off a long range break to make it 26-4.
The game was more or less over as a contest, but Cas did make a better start to the second half with Mapapalangi getting on the end of a well judged Daejarn Asi grubber to score and Weaver adding the extras.
Brief thoughts of making a match of it were quickly extinguished as within five minutes Bradford were back on the attack and scoring again as Ebon Scurr crashed over from close range with the Tigers hanging off tackles again.
Increasing errors crept into both sides’ play from this point, but to their credit Cas kept plugging away and after a few near misses they were rewarded with an Alex Mellor try as he broke a tackle and showed determination to get over the line on a strong run.
It was a fitting score as the skipper delivered a wholehearted display despite playing out of position again at centre.
Mellor’s leading by example attitude showed itself again three minutes later when he drove Aekins back behind the tryline to force a drop-out. However, it summed up the team’s night when from the relieving kick Tyler Dupree promptly dropped the ball.
A spell of home pressure followed, but the Tigers this time held out and finished the game on the front foot at least.
The final play saw Mapapalangi follow up an Asi grubber over the line to get the ball down well for a consolation try, with Weaver kicking his third goal.