Hull hot streak downs Cas
Hull came alive in the second half to secure their third win in four Super League games against Castleford.
Last Updated: 23/05/10 6:31pm
Hull came alive in the second half to secure their third win in four Super League games with a 34-26 victory against Castleford at The Jungle.
The Airlie Birds were six points behind at half-time but took control after the break, scoring 24 points in a row to put the result beyond their opponents' reach.
The scoring was opened in the ninth minute when clever footwork from Sean Long drew in two defenders before the veteran scrum-half found Jordan Tansey.
A two-on-one opportunity had opened up for Hull and Tansey laid a simple pass off to Kirk Yeaman, who outpaced Ryan McGoldrick to score.
Danny Tickle added the conversion and the lead was extended three minutes later with Long once again at the heart of the action.
He again found Tansey, but this time the full-back opted to sell a dummy wide, straighten up and saunter under the posts.
Tightened up
The hosts belatedly tightened things up and then hit back after Hull were penalised for laying on.
The ball was spun from left to right and Stuart Jones charged through a gap left by an out-of-position Craig Fitzgibbon to put Castleford on the board.
The Tigers crossed again in the 32nd minute when Dean Widders spotted Joe Arundel in acres of space and sent a fine, looping pass into the try-scorer's hands.
Joe Westerman left the scores level at 10-10 when he failed to convert the try but quickly redeemed himself by knocking over a penalty to give his side the lead.
And seconds before half-time Michael Wainwright went low and hard for the line under pressure from Tansey, managing to squeeze over in the corner.
Response
Hull responded after the break as Long collected a loose ball on his own 40-metere line before racing away from three defenders to touch down before Tickle's conversion levelled the scores.
Castleford hit back with some pressure as things threatened to boil over as several players were involved in an altercation.
With the contest in the balance, the vital score went to the visitors as Tom Briscoe dotted down after some nice work from Paul McShane in the 53rd minute.
Tickle booted the conversion and then slotted a penalty as the hosts started to flag.
Fitzgibbon then went over for a converted score just after the hour mark after a powerful run which saw the Australian forward take several defenders over the line with him.
Yeaman's kick handed Mark O'Meley the simplest of tasks ten minutes later as the prop picked the ball up before planting it on the whitewash to secure victory.
Rangi Chase scored a length-of-the-field effort and Wainwright claimed his second of the afternoon a minute from time as the hosts added some respectability to the scoreline.