Liam Farrell (centre) scored Wigan's winning try in his 350th Super League appearance for the club Betfred Super League Castleford (4) 20 Tries:Tate 2, Asi, WoodGoals:Atkin 2 Wigan (12) 26 Tries:Field, Keighran, Eckersley, FarrellGoals:Keighran 5 Captain Liam Farrell scored a 77th-minute try as Wigan Warriors left it late to claim a hard-fought victory over Castleford Tigers and narrow the gap on Super League leaders Hull KR to four points. Will Tate's try with seven minutes to go had put the Tigers 20-18 up to leave the Warriors looking at back-to-back defeats. But an Adam Keighran penalty brought the scores level and then Farrell was on hand to finish after Jai Field had burst through the Cas defence. Tries from Field and Keighran had given the Warriors an eight-point half-time advantage, but 10th-placed Castleford roared back. After Tate's first-half score, Daejarn Asi and Sam Wood turned things in their favour only for Zach Eckersley to put Wigan back in front before the late drama. The Warriors were stunnedby Wakefield Trinityeight days ago, while another win for rampant league leaders Hull KR on Friday had extended their advantage to six points at the top ahead of this match. While there was further bad news just before kick-off as prolific winger Liam Marshall was injured in the warm-up with his place taken by Jacob Douglas. Castleford had failed to register a point whenHull KR visitedthe Mend-a-Hose Jungle nine days before, but they only needed 15 minutes to get on the board here as Daejarn Asi's fine cut-out pass sent Tate in at the corner. But Wigan showed their class to respond immediately as Eckersley's crisp pass allowed Field to mark his 100th game for the club with yet another try â his 18th in Super League this season. They had passed up a couple of opportunities with uncharacteristically poor handling, but Keighran extended the lead right on half-time. From a scrum in midfield, Harry Smith released his onrushing centre, who slipped through some poor Tigers defending to race over. However, Castleford came flying out of the blocks in the second period as Asi sold a huge dummy to Junior Nsemba to score with the Tigers making it a two-point game. Last season's quadruple winners looked set to restore their lead but Smith's pass was intercepted by Tate, who set off on a run for a move which eventually ended with Wood crossing to put the Yorkshire side ahead. The home side were unhappy when Wigan launched a captain's challenge after Smith was adjudged to have blocked Josh Simm, and the decision was overturned in favour of the visitors. Given the ball back, Matt Peet's side eventually exploited this when a sharp long pass from Field was smartly finished by Eckersley, with Keighran's goal putting Wigan back in front. Tate put Castleford ahead again as he dived in at the corner and had the home fans dreaming of a famous scalp and just a fifth win in 16 games this season, but they were then reminded of one of the game's harshest lessons â never count out the Warriors. After a high shot by Liam Horne on Jack Farrimond, Wigan played smart to take an easy two points from Keighran's boot to level the scores, and then Field's brilliance set up Farrell for his dramatic winning try. Castleford:Cini; Simm, Senior, Wood, Tate; Asi, Atkin; Singleton, Horne, Amone, Lawler, Mellor, Westermann. Interchanges:Griffin, Hall, Hill, Stimson. Wigan:Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Douglas; Farrimond, Smith; Byrne, O'Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis. Interchanges:Havard, Mago, Dupree, Leeming. Referee:Tom Grant.
Farrell's late try gives Wigan victory at Castleford
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Liam Farrell's Late Try Secures Wigan Warriors' Victory Over Castleford Tigers"
Bbc News
8.6
TruthLens AI Summary
In a thrilling encounter at the Mend-a-Hose Jungle, Wigan Warriors secured a dramatic 26-20 victory over Castleford Tigers, thanks to a late try from captain Liam Farrell in the 77th minute. This match marked Farrell's 350th Super League appearance for Wigan, adding an extra layer of significance to his decisive moment. The contest was tightly contested, with Castleford taking a late lead after Will Tate's try put them ahead 20-18. However, Wigan's Adam Keighran responded with a penalty to level the scores, setting the stage for Farrell's game-winning try. The Warriors had initially taken an eight-point lead at halftime, with tries from Jai Field and Keighran, but Castleford made a strong comeback in the second half, showcasing their resilience and determination to fight back from behind.
The match was not without its challenges for Wigan, who faced a setback before kickoff with the injury of their prolific winger Liam Marshall. Despite this, the Warriors demonstrated their depth and ability to adapt under pressure. Castleford, who had struggled in their previous match against Hull KR, started strong with an early try from Daejarn Asi. Wigan quickly responded, showing their class with Field's try marking his 100th game and Keighran extending the lead right before halftime. The second half saw Castleford take control momentarily, with Tate and Wood scoring to put them ahead, but Wigan's experience shone through as they rallied back, ultimately clinching the win. This victory narrows Wigan's gap to the Super League leaders Hull KR to just four points, highlighting their competitiveness in the league as they aim to reclaim their position at the top.
TruthLens AI Analysis
You need to be a member to generate the AI analysis for this article.
Log In to Generate AnalysisNot a member yet? Register for free.