Super League: Josh Mantellato guides Hull KR to 16-16 draw with Castleford Tigers
Last Updated: 07/02/16 6:01pm
Josh Mantellato converted his own try with the last kick of the game from the touchline as Hull KR snatched a 16-16 draw against Castleford in the opening round of Super League XXI.
The Tigers looked set to open their campaign with victory after two tries from Rovers old boy Jake Webster, before Mantellato spoiled their celebrations by dotting down in the corner and holding his nerve with the conversion to grab an unlikely draw.
The sides had a try apiece after a physical first half in which Mitch Allgood and Lee Jewitt were both sin-binned for fighting. Denny Solomona's individual try got Castleford underway while Hull KR were able to draw level courtesy of James Donaldson's score.
Rovers enjoyed the better of the opening 10 minutes backed by the home crowd, and though Castleford held firm in the face of steady Hull KR pressure and driving rain, Solomona defied the conditions to dance down the wing before touching down close to the posts.
Jewitt then spent 10 minutes of his 150th career appearance in the sin bin for his part in a melee which also saw Allgood shown a yellow card.
Castleford lost captain Shenton to a knee injury and it got worse for the Tigers when Donaldson crashed over just before the break, and Mantellato converted to level the scores 6-6 at half-time.
Errors decorated the early second-half exchanges, and it was one by Ben Cockayne that led to the game's next try. The Rovers full-back dropped Luke Gale's long kick and from the resulting scrum Webster sliced through the home defence to put Castleford back in front.
Gale made it two from two with the boot but the Tigers were pegged back again by Mantellato's acrobatic finish in the corner. The KR winger's conversion attempt fell short and Gale sent a similar effort from out wide just the wrong side of the upright after the excellent Solomona had gathered Gale's cross-field kick and fed Webster for his second try.
That left Castleford with a six-point lead heading into the closing stages and they looked set to see out the victory until Mantellato slid over in the corner and added the extras to the delight of the Rovers fans.