Super League: Castleford Tigers beat Wigan Warriors in a thriller
Castleford Tigers maintained their perfect start to the season with a last-gasp 36-31 win over reigning champions Wigan.
Last Updated: 09/03/14 6:24pm
A remarkable ending to the game saw the Warriors come from six points down to level thanks to a Josh Charnley try and Matty Smith conversion from the touchline.
Smith then slotted a drop-goal from 39 metres out 90 seconds from the end to seemingly hand Wigan the win - but for Luke Dorn to burst through for the Tigers from the kick-off to race 40 metres for a thrilling winning try.
It was Dorn's second try of the game for Castleford - who also crossed through Kirk Dixon, Daryl Clark, Michael Channing and Adam Milner, while Marc Sneyd converted all six tries.
Tony Clubb, Blake Green, Joe Burgess, Matthew Bowen crossed for Wigan along with Charnley and Smith - who added three kicks and the drop-goal that looked to have won it.
It was Castleford's new signing Dorn who was the hero though as the Tigers bagged a first home win over Wigan for eight years to make it four wins out of four and join St Helens at the top of the table with one of only three 100 percent records in Super League.
Wigan looked to be suffering from delayed jet lag following their return from the World Club Challenge in Sydney, but did well to recover from 16-0 behind inside 12 minutes to lead 24-22 at half-time.
Castleford's explosive left winger Justin Carney set up the position for the game's first try, charging 40 metres after gathering Blake Green's high kick on his own 10-metre line.
Carney was then sin-binned for swinging a punch at Wigan second rower John Bateman but the Tigers increased their lead with two more tries while down to 12 men.
Two goals from Sneyd put the home side into a 16-0 lead but Wigan stormed back to within two points with three tries in a seven-minute spell.
Bowen pounced on Smith's kick to score his first try in Super League, Green dummied his way over for his first of the season and Smith touched down after the ball had bounced into his arms off Carney.
Clubb's first try for Wigan and Joe Burgess' devastating finish put Wigan in front for the first time and they ought to have capitalised early in the second half when Burgess was denied a second try by a wonderful tackle from Dorn.
Sneyd kicked his fourth conversion and added a penalty on the hour to make it 30-24 after Wigan prop Ben Flower had been sin-binned for a "cannonball" tackle.
The Tigers made good use of the extra man but captain Michael Shenton was denied what looked to be a certain try by Smith's last-ditch tackle and Channing took Dorn's pass to cross again at the corner only for referee Robert Hicks to blow up for an obstruction.
It looked to be a costly miss when Charnley collected Smith's kick to touch down at the corner but Dorn came to the Tigers' rescue with his second try of the match.