It was third against sixth as Wakefield Trinity played host to Castleford Tigers at The Mobile Rocket Stadium, although the sides came into the game separated by just points difference and with the Tigers having a game in hand.
The Wakefield club were hoping for a bumper crowd to start the Easter weekend in style and with many supporters making the eight mile journey south of the M62 to cheer on the Tigers.
Both coaches made changes with Chris Chester bringing in Kirmond and Arona for Trinity, while Daryl Powell had Shenton, Trueman, Cook and Holmes in his starting thirteen as changes to the side that narrowly beat the Rhinos last weekend.
Some uncharacteristic ill discipline from the Tigers, conceeding repeated penalties, looked to have cost the first try when Oliver Holmes crashed through the defence on thirteen to score but the referee spotted a knock-on and ruled out the score.
On sixteen Mike McMeeken did get the scoreboard moving when he went through a gap in the line off a short pass, as the Tigers moved the ball from left to right. Luke Gale added the extras. Clare had a try ruled out by the video referee for foot in touch on twenty-four and in deteriorating weather conditions there was very little to choose between the sides.
On thirty-six Luke Gale took everyone by surprise when he slotted over a drop goal, the difference between the two sides when the Tigers beat the Rhinos last week, to extend the lead to 7-0 at the interval.
Just before the hour mark and Wakefield Trinity got their first points of the game when Ben Jones-Bishop chased down a delightful Liam Finn fifty-five metre kick to get closest to it, slide into goal, and ground the ball. Finn drilled the ball between the uprights from wide for 6-7.
When Scott Grix lost a high ball on sixty-five it went to a colleague in an offside position and Gale had no hesitation in pointing to the uprights and taking the two points from twenty metres out for a 9-6 lead.
When Wakefield were again penalised close to their own sticks, this time for offside, Gale kicked a simple penalty goal for a five point lead with six minutes left on the clock.
Castleford knocked on from the kick-off and then conceeded a penalty ten from their own line. Tom Johnstone went close but couldn’t ground the ball over the line as the torrential rain continued to fall.
At the end of the match the Tigers were simply holding on, but despite all of their best efforts Wakefield couldn’t break their resolve and get the try that would have won the game. The conditions made the game a lottery and the two sides did well to keep hold of the ball with so few errors.
Another victory for the Tigers which lifts them to third in the table and a third consecutive loss for Trinity as they continue to let their good early season form slip
Trinity: Grix, Jones-Bishop (T), Lyne, Tupou, Johnstone, Miller, Finn (G), England, Randell, Huby, Horo, Ashurst, Arona. Subs: Wood, Fifita, Hirst, Pauli.
Tigers: Roberts, Minikin, Webster, Shenton, Clare, Trueman, Gale (3G, DG), Millington, McShane, Cook, Holmes, McMeeken (T), Milner. Subs: Moors, Foster, Ellis, Springer.
Referee: James Child.
Half-Time:0-7.
Full-Time: 6-11.
Attendance: .
