Hull KR 20 Castleford 4: Outclassed Castleford go to Hull and back
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Your support makes all the difference.Last week's form vanished in the mist on the banks of the Humber for Castleford as Rovers completely outplayed Super League's bottom club. There was no trace of the Cas who beat Leeds so impressively eight days earlier as two tries from Daniel Fitzhenry led the Robins to a comfortable win. In difficult conditions, with the cold and wind of the North Sea encroaching on to Craven Park along with the fog, it was a short kicking game that was the dominant attacking ploy in the first half. Rovers got two tries from that tactic and could have had a third.
Ben Galea, a back row forward switched to the problem position of stand-off, was responsible for the first, kicking through precisely for Fitzhenry to time his run and score. Scott Murrell got away from dummy half to supply the kick for the second, touched down by the substitute, Ben Cockayne. In between, Castleford could have had one from the same manoeuvre, but Ryan McGoldrick knocked on trying to gather in Brent Sherwin's kick.
That was their only real opportunity of the half and they could have been further behind at the break if James Webster had been awarded a third Rovers try when he chased his own kick after it rebounded back off the post padding – an effort disallowed because Shaun Briscoe was offside.
A third try was not long in coming after the interval, Jake Webster's superb break setting up Fitzhenry. Sherwin's failure to find touch with a penalty gave Rovers the possession for which they claimed their fourth, James Webster's lofted pass giving Chev Walker his first try since his return to rugby league. Jon Steel and Fitzhenry had further chances to stretch the victory margin but Craig Huby prevented the whitewash when he scored from McGoldrick's kick with four minutes to play.
It was a satisfying performance for the Rovers coach Justin Morgan, who must now decide how to accommodate Paul Cooke when he returns for his first game of the season against Hull on Friday. "I was very pleased with the defensive effort," he said. "We've made a gradual improvement over the last few weeks although we're still not at full tilt. Bringing Paul back is a nice problem to have."
Castleford's Michael Korkidas needed stitches in a spectacular eye wound that limited his involvement in the game, but Terry Mattison must wonder where the inspiration his side showed against Leeds disappeared to in little more than a week.
Hull KR: Briscoe; Steel, Walker, Jake Webster, Fitzhenry; Galea, James Webster; Vella, Netherton, Mills, Newton, Genne, Murrell. Substitutes used: Crossman, Cockayne, Aizue, Menzies.
Castleford: McGoldrick; Donlan, Shenton, Dixon, Wainwright; Dorn, Sherwin; Huby, Moore, Korkidas, Guttenbeil, Lupton, Westerman. Substitutes used: Leafa, Higgins, Henderson, Clayton.
Referee: S Ganson (St Helens)
* Demitri Pelo scored two tries as Catalans Dragons beat St Helens 24-10 last night, a result which leaves Saints in third place.
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