The Tigers aimed to dismantle their right side in the initial exchanges. Eden caught Gale’s kick and sprinted along the line, seeking an opening before passing to Wallis. However, the ball was dislodged, forcing Cas to defend.
The Tigers stood strong and progressed up the field, breaking the tie. Newcomer Tasipale secured his first try for the Tigers. Miller’s last-minute kick was tapped back by Watts, finding the Lebanese international who touched down. Following a review by the video referee, the try was confirmed, and Widdop added the extra points.
On the 17th minute, Wakefield believed they had levelled the score after Griffin grounded Gale’s kick. However, after a thorough review, video referee Jack Smith identified Ashurst as offside during the buildup and disallowed the response.
It took the home team another 10 minutes to finally score. Shifting from left to right, Jowitt found himself with an opportunity, sidestepping and grounding the ball in the corner.
A minute later, the hosts took the lead. A penalty for offside allowed Trinity to advance, and after a powerful run by Fifita, they were within Cas’ 10-meter zone. A leftward move from Lino found Griffin, who touched down, giving them a 2-point advantage.
The Fords attempted to recover with a lengthy kick from Austin that Lineham fumbled 20 meters from the Trinity line, and they succeeded. A remarkable dive by Eden, assisted by Miller and Widdop, led to a try, putting Cas back in front with 3 minutes left in the half.
Cas scored again before the halftime whistle! Eden once more! Austin’s forceful tackle on Griffin led to a knock-on, providing Cas with a scrum. The ball was swiftly passed left from the scrum, and Widdop found Eden again, who was unmarked on the edge. This time, Greg had no opposition and dived in for another try. After video ref verification, the try stood, and Widdop nailed the kick from the touchline, giving the Fords an 8-point lead at halftime.
After the break, the Fords regained control and were rewarded with another score 9 minutes into the second half. Wallis’ impressive break allowed Tasipale to continue the move, covering 60 meters. Following Widdop’s tackle, the ball moved left, and Edwards’ pass to Foster enabled the centre to step inside and score his first since rejoining the club.
Wakefield reacted 5 minutes later. After Westerman lost possession at the play-the-ball, the hosts regained possession 30 meters out. A penalty allowed the ball to shift right, finding Griffin, who scored his second try of the night in the corner.
At the midway point of the second half, Wakefield believed they had closed the gap. Following a Widdop mistake, Trinity gained possession. While Kay came close, the attempt was unsuccessful. The hosts then passed to the right, and although Lineham dived in, his received pass from Lyne was ruled forward.
Cas gradually progressed up the field, earning a penalty for a high tackle on Foster. Ward opted for a penalty kick, and Widdop successfully scored, extending Cas’ lead by 12 points with 15 minutes left.
A defensive mix-up by the Tigers led to the ball going into the in-goal area following a Lino kick. Lineham’s last-ditch effort caused a stir in the crowd, but a video consultation revealed that he had grounded the ball out of play.
To cap off a remarkable night for the Fords, Greg Eden completed his hat-trick on the final whistle after darting in from the left edge.
Final Score: Wakefield Trinity 18-28 Castleford Tigers.
