Cook try gives Leigh victory over Castleford

Betfred Super League

>Castleford (8) 14

>Tries: Qareqare, Lawler Goals: Weaver 3

>Leigh (12) 24

>Tries: Alick-Wiencke, I Senior, Hughes, Cook Goals: Cook 4

>Leigh continued their march up the Super League table with a fifth victory in six games as Adam Cook's gift try 14 minutes from time sank Castleford.

>The Tigers were pressing hard having fought back to within four points through a second-half try from George Lawler.

>But a fumble from Daejarn Asi allowed Cook, who also kicked four goals, a free run in from 40 metres out to put the game out of reach.

>Castleford were on the wrong end of a couple of key decisions from referee Liam Moore but ultimately only had themselves to blame after seeing their hopes of a third successive win go up in smoke.

Smith helps Wire beat Hull FC to keep pace at top • >Dean's dream debut helps Bradford see off YorkIt is now eight games without a win against Leigh for Castleford despite their fast start through Fijian wing Jason Qareqare who followed up his hat-trick against St Helens with a try in the left-hand corner after just 90 seconds from a lovely pass from Krystian Mapapalangi.

>Tom Weaver's excellent conversion made it 6-0 and the Australian half-back added an 18th-minute penalty.

>But Leigh, inspired by prop Joe Ofahengaue who made 19 carries and 30 tackles, hit back with two tries in the space of three minutes to take a lead they never relinquished.

>The first, in the 23rd minute, came from Jacob Alick-Wiencke after he handed off Mapapalangi to score but there was an element of controversy about it with the Leopards being contentiously handed the position to strike after Cas had been pulled back for obstruction by Asi as Qareqare broke clear.

>Then Innes Senior went over in the opposite corner for his sixth Super League try of the season from a Bailey Hodgson pass.

>Four minutes after half-time, Jack Hughes, who moments earlier had been fortunate to escape sanction for an elbow on Mapapalangi on the ground, extended the Leopards' lead from a slick ball from Isaac Liu.

>Lawler, on his 100th appearance for Castleford, reacted quickest to threaten a comeback after Zac Cini had won the ball in the air from Asi's kick.

>But their momentum evaporated with the soft score for Cook and with Leigh's goalline defence determined there was no way back.

Players 'super frustrated' - reactionCastleford head coach Ryan Carr speaking to BBC Radio Leeds:

>(On the contentious decisions) "I can't (say anything) because I've already been fined. Sorry. I'll go back and have a look at them but it has gone now and you can't change it - that's the worst bit about it, I suppose.

>"The players speak to me and they are super frustrated. For my player I feel bad for him but we just have to get on with it.

>"I'm not questioning anything, I'm not debating anything, I'm just saying that was what happened in front of me. Hopefully he's not got anything wrong with his face but we'll see.

>"It was a game of moments that if we'd got it right we win, but we didn't so we lost. I think if we'd got those moments right it would have been the opposite scoreline. I feel like we were us again today but credit to them, they got it done and we didn't."

>Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam speaking to BBC Radio Manchester:

>"I thought he (Ofahengaue) was inspirational. I thought our whole forward pack were really good. It's a tough place to come and win and I'm just pleased for the whole group and the fans who travelled tonight.

>"They are playing with a lot of confidence and have a big strike left edge but I think we handled them pretty well tonight. I'm really proud of the players.

>"I thought we did some good stuff and probably could have scored two or three more tries had it not been a bit of bad luck but the defence was outstanding.

>"We made a lot of one on ones on the tryline and saved tries and that's what you've got to do when you come here. I thought we just had courage tonight so I'm really pleased. We've had a slow start due to injuries but the wins just stack up."

>Castleford: Laulu-Togaga'e; L Senior, Cini, Mapapalangi, Qareqare; Asi, Weaver; Lane, Lawler, Mellor, Stimson, Dupree, Golding.

>Interchanges: Atoni, Greacen, Hall, Robb.

>Leigh: Armstrong; I Senior, Hodgson, Hughes, Charnley; Cook, Lam; Ofahengaue, Ipape, Mulhern, Halton, Alick-Wiencke, Liu.

>Interchanges: Brogan, Pene, O'Brien, Horne.

>Referee: Liam Moore.