Super League: Castleford Tigers 20-14 Warrington Wolves

Following four successive defeats, including back-to-back reverses to the league’s bottom two sides, and without a head coach since Danny McGuire’s dismissal, the omens did not look good when Castleford fell behind within six minutes.

Marc Sneyd’s up and under slipped through Fletcher Rooney’s grasp, and a few plays later Ben Currie sent Stone through for his first Warrington try.

But the home side hit back superbly and within 12 minutes were ahead thanks to some Wire charity.

Lacklustre defence allowed Asi to drag three tacklers over the line to level. And after blowing a two-on-one chance to retake the lead, the visitors trailed when a grubber kick slid past Lachlan Fitzgibbon, allowing Lawler to pounce.

After resisting mounting pressure, Castleford’s defence succumbed moments before the break when the ball was worked quickly out to the left, giving Thewlis space for a fine diving finish.

Cas almost squeezed in a third try before the hooter, but Australian centre Zac Cini’s surge was stopped right on the line.

Warrington restarted with urgency and Rooney only just prevented George Williams from collecting his own chip and chase before a Williams grubber kick to the corner narrowly evaded Thewlis.

Having soaked up the pressure, the home side landed a sucker-punch as Atkin booted them 14-10 ahead before Sneyd spilled the ball in the tackle on halfway and Cas broke away to score, with Simm finishing.

Warrington wanted more than a yellow card for Mellor when his high tackle stopped Thewlis from grounding a certain try

Yet they had hope again 90 seconds later when Ratchford nudged Innes Senior aside to ground Williams’ grubber kick.

Asi missed a decent drop-goal attempt to take his side two scores clear, but it did not matter as Cas repelled late back-to-back sets to secure just a fifth win of the season.