Wakefield thrash Castleford despite early red card

Betfred Super League

Wakefield Trinity (18) 52

Tries: Storton, Faatili, Jowitt, Vagana, Johnstone 2, Hall, Walmsley 2 Goals: Jowitt 8

Castleford Tigers (10) 14

Tries: Weaver, Qareqare 2 Goal: Weaver

Wakefield Trinity fought back from 10-6 behind and overcame a first-half red card to thrash Castleford Tigers and maintain their surprise Super League bid.

Daryl Powell's side ran in nine tries at the DIY Kitchens Stadium, with Tom Johnstone and Lachlan Walmsley scoring twice, to make it six straight wins for Trinity.

Wakefield played with 12 men for nearly three-quarters of the match as Matty Storton, who scored their opening try, was sent off.

Caius Faatili, Max Jowitt, Isaiah Vagana and Corey Hall also went over for the hosts.

Castleford briefly threatened to build on their fine win over Leeds Rhinos when Jason Qareqare, who scored twice, added to Tom Weaver's try to put them ahead, but they were blown away by rampant Wakefield.

Wakefield did not play like they had 12 men and they had 65% possession, with half-back Jake Trueman pulling the strings.

They opened the scoring after just 45 seconds when Johnstone broke down the left before passing inside to Storton to touch down behind the posts.

Castleford levelled in the 16th minute when Daejarn Asi's kick rebounded off the unfortunate Jowitt, allowing Weaver to score a simple try under the posts.

Storton was sent off after 22 minutes for making shoulder contact with the head of Alex Mellor and Castleford took full advantage two minutes later when Qareqare went over to give them a 10-6 lead.

To their huge credit, back came Wakefield and Faatili came off the bench to spin round and score under the posts in the 29th minute, with Jowitt adding the two points to put them back ahead.

Jowitt nipped over to stretch their half-time lead to 18-10 and Wakefield ran away with it after the break.

Vagana caught Trueman's kick and exchanged passes with Cameron Scott to score in the 41st minute, before Johnstone scored twice to take his tally of Super League tries this season to 15.

The 12 men were far from finished and Hall stretched out his arms in the 54th minute to touch down for Trinity's seventh try of the night.

Walmsley got his first after 62 minutes when the ball fell to him after Vagana challenged Qareqare for Trueman's kick, before his momentum carried him over for a second six minutes later.

Qareqare crossed the line for his 18th Super League try four minutes from time, but it was of little consolation to Castleford.

Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds:

"I thought it was a phenomenal performance. We started fantastic, then we got pegged back a little bit and then to get Matty Storton sent off, I thought was a bit harsh.

"But to respond like we did was outstanding really. The end of the first half and then the start of the second half were just unbelievable.

"I thought we looked like we had an extra man ourselves and, of course, we didn't. I thought we dominated the game in that period and built a big score.

"What a performance from a 12-man team for a large part of the game."

Castleford head coach Ryan Carr told BBC Radio Leeds:

"I'm sort of struggling at the moment [to explain it]. I'm going to have to have a real think about it because we can't play like we did for the first 30 minutes, to come here with the right attitude and play really well, and then for the last 50 minutes be the complete opposite.

"It's not like we came here and we didn't have the right mindset or the right attitude or we didn't know what we were meant to do.

"Then to get out into a lead and then concede that many points... I'm going to have to go back and look at it.

"They had 12 men and you need 50-50 possession minimum when they've got 12 men, but for 12 men to have 65% is a bit unheard of."

Wakefield: Rourke; Walmsley, Scott, Hall, Johnstone; Jowitt, Trueman; McMeeken, Smoothy, Rodwell, Storton, Vagana, Tevaga.

Interchanges: Pitts, Hamlin-Uele, Faatili, Smith; Lolesio.

Castleford: Laulu-Togaga'e; Ravalawa, Mellor, Mapapalangi, Qareqare; Asi, Weaver; Dupree, Hood, Stimson, Golding, Lane, Brown.

Interchanges: Atoni, Ashworth, Hall, Robb; Windley.

Referee: Tom Grant.