The opening fixture of the Rivals round of Super League XXX
on Easter Thursday evening saw Wakefield Trinity play host to the struggling
Castleford Tigers as eighth faced tenth, the home side with one eye of
finishing the evening in sixth spot.

Pre-kick off Wakefield were strong favourites with the
bookies with a twelve-point handicap on the coupon most pundits believing that
it would take a minor Easter miracle for the Tigers to make the short nine-mile
journey home clutching the two points.

A win of any description would lift the Tigers two points clear
of Salford in eleventh, but a win of any description would see Castleford into
seventh, and a win by fifty-two points or more would se them up to sixth ahead of
the Leeds Rhinos.

After an end to end opening nine minutes, it was the Tigers who
took the lead with a length of the field try, Tex Hoy diffusing a bomb before
finding speedster Jason Qareqare to accelerate down the left wing and score in
the corner. Rowan Milnes was just wide with the touchline conversion.

As the twentieth minute came and went, Wakefield were becoming
their own worst enemies with several unforced errors costing them possession and
position.

One of those mistakes led to Castleford’s second try on
twenty-seven when a Milnes high chip to the corner was collected by a leaping
Sam Wood who span away from his tackler and dropped to the ground. Milnes was
wide again with his conversion attempt, this one across the face of the goal.

Wakefield’s Renouf Atoni was held up over the line on
thirty-three on the home side’s best opportunity of the half to open their
account, great Castleford defence. The Tigers went downfield and increased the
Wildcats pain as Qareqare collected a Milnes pinpoint kick to the wing. Milnes missed
a third conversion, Castleford going into the sheds with a 12-0 lead, Milnes
having an excellent in play night with the boot but not replicating it with his
conversions.

As early as the third minute Tom Johnstone backed himself after
a ninety-metre run through the Tigers defence when he had two supporting players
inside him who were almost certain to score. Despite being hauled down five
short the Tigers covered back and prevented the try, eventually intercepting.

On fifty-seven a Wakefield offload on the Tigers line went into
Castleford hands when it looked easier to score.

On the hour mark Trinity finally broke the Tigers line with
a Harvey Smith scoot from dummy half, jinking past three defenders and lunging
for the line. Max Jowitt added the conversion, the home side now just six
points behind.

On sixty-five Mason Lino went for the line but incredible
defence from Jeremiah Simbiken, getting his hands under the ball, prevented the
try. Two plays later and Wakefield were again held up over the Tigers line but on
the next play Jowitt stretched and grounded on the line for the second try for
the home side. The Trinity full back converted his own try to level the scores,
there was now only one side in it.

An attempted Milnes one-pointer on seventy-two sailed wide
of the Trinity uprights.

On seventy-three Corey Hall spilled the ball on the
Castleford line as he went to score, a chance to win the game spurned.

An awful Mason Lino drop goal on seventy-five limped over
the crossbar from fifteen metres out to edge his side into the lead for the
first time.

As the final hooter sounded Daejarn Asi attempted a fifty
metre drop goal and while it had the legs it was just wide of the target, Wakefield
snatching a one point win from the jaws of defeat.

Wakefield chose round eight to successfully deploy their ‘get
out of jail free’ card after being a clear second best in the first half and
demonstrating a second half turnaround after Daryl Powell stripped the paint
off the dressing room walls at the interval. It was devastating for the Tigers
as they stumbled to a seventh defeat of the season as they continued life in the
bottom three. Wakefield will be relieved, Castleford devastated.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt (T, G 2/2), Scott, Hall, Pratt,
Johnstone, Pitts, Lino (DG), McMeeken, Hood, Rodwell, Nikotemo, Griffin, Cozza.  Subs: Hamlin-Uele, Atoni, Faatili, Smith (T).
18^th Man: Vagana.

Castleford Tigers: Hoy, Simm, Cini, Wood (T), Qareqare (2T),
Asi, Milnes (G 0/3), Okoro, Horne, Lawler, Simbiken, Mellor, Mustapha. Subs: Westerman,
Rimbu, Salabio, Dezaria. 18^th Man: Griffin.

Half-Time: 0-12.

Full-Time: 13-12.

Score Progression: 0-4, 0-8, 0-12 : HT: 4-12, 6-12, 10-12, 12-12,
13-12 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: Castleford – Square - Wakefield.

Referee: Aaron Moore.