Finn pulls strings on return to let Tigers cut loose

Castleford 44 Huddersfield 30

Scrum-half Liam Finn marked his recall with a couple of tries as Castleford got the better of below-strength Huddersfield in a 13-try feast.

Ireland’s World Cup captain was dropped for the previous game at Widnes but proved a point on his return as the Tigers strengthened their position in the top four of the Super League.

Huddersfield could hardly have made a better start, with makeshift hooker Chris Bailey forcing his way over from dummy half for the first of his two tries just four minutes into the game.

Leroy Cudjoe added the conversion but the Tigers struck back five minutes later with the first contribution from Marc Sneyd. He collected Luke Robinson’s harmless kick deep inside his own half and scythed through to put Oliver Holmes over.

Blockbusting winger Justin Carney grabbed a trademark try, proving unstoppable from 15 metres out and just 17 seconds were left on the clock in the first half when Castleford took the lead for the first time as Huddersfield failed to deal with Finn’s high kick on the last tackle and allowed the former Featherstone scrum-half to touch down.

The game was completely turned on its head three minutes later when Finn’s pinpoint kick to the corner found Dixon with the space and time to touch down, and the Tigers made it three tries in 10 minutes when the immaculate Shenton broke clear to get Finn over for his second try.

Castleford: Sneyd; Dixon, Webster, Shenton, Carney; Ellis, Finn; Lynch, Clark, Huby, Holmes, Mariano, Millington. Substitutes used: Milner, Massey, Wheeldon, Jewitt.

Huddersfield: Connor; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, Broughton; Wood, Robinson; Kaufusi, Bailey, Mullally, Ferres, Patrick, Lawrence. Substitutes used:Crabtree, Kopczak, Ta’ai, Leeming.

Referee: R Silverwood