Castleford 6 Warrington 64: Briers inspires Wolves' mauling of timid Tigers
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Your support makes all the difference.Three encouraging early victories are a fading memory now as their worst defeat so far showed Castleford just how much they need to improve.
"I've seen this team play with a lot of enthusiasm, but there was nothing out there tonight,'' said their coach, Terry Matterson. "I can't find any words for it and I'm just embarrassed it was on television.''
Warrington, so disappointing against Salford on Good Friday, could hardly have started this game much better.
It was no coincidence that Lee Briers was back after injury and it was he who fed Martin Gleeson to set up Henry Fa'afili's 11th try of the season after just six minutes.
Fa'afili's chip down the touchline and Briers' visionary kick across field then enabled Toa Kohe-Love to go over and Briers' 40-20 kick soon set up a third Warrington try, Michael Wainwright this time standing in the tackle to supply the vital pass to Jon Clarke.
Castleford responded when Willie Manu stepped out of a tackle and sent the supporting Michael Platt over and they would have had another if Stuart Reardon's tackle had not taken Luke Dyer into touch.
Up at the other end, a deft kick from the big second rower Logan Swann put the Tigers under pressure once again and Gleeson went over from Clarke's pass.
With half-time approaching, Warrington consolidated their position still further, even though Michael Sullivan's grounding of the ball did not look entirely convincing.
Gleeson and the inspirational Briers added further tries after half time, followed by Fa'afili's second. Castleford's defence broke down completely in the last 10 minutes, with the prop forwards, Paul Wood, Paul Rauhihi and Rob Parker all queuing up to score for the visitors.
It does not get much easier for Cas, who now have the unappetising prospect of a trip to Leeds on Friday night.
Elsewhere yesterday, the leaders St Helens survived a stern examination in France to defeat the Catalans Dragons 34-20.
Leeds also had it tough, winning 24-18 at Salford, while Nathan Blacklock grabbed a couple of tries and Kirk Yeaman crossed for a hat-trick as Hull defeated the visitors Wakefield 36-24.
Castleford: Platt; Pryce, Franze, Viane, Dyer; McGoldrick, Davis; Ward, Henderson, Nutley, Fa'aoso, Manu, Bird. Substitutes used: Kain, Roarty, Huby, Whitaker.
Warrington: Grose; Fa'afili, Martin Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Reardon; Briers, Sullivan; Leikvoll, Mark Gleeson, Wood, Swann, Wainwright, Noone. Substitutes used: Clarke, Rauhihi, Parker, Grix.
Referee: R Silverwood (Mirfield).
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