Both of tonight's teams, the Castleford Tigers and Widnes Vikings, came into this round eighteen game looking for a win to improve their position in Super League by a single place. For Castleford the two points would see them above Saints into fifth, and for the visitors it would be a move to seventh and a step closer to the Super Eights.

Widnes have won just two in their last eight outings in all competitions (and just one in ten in Super League), whereas the Tigers have won four of their last eight games.

After having absorbed all of the early pressure, it was Vikings who opened the scoring when Castleford's Junior Moors spilled a kick through, and of the two chasing Widnes players it was MacGraff Leuluai who beat Chris Bridge in the race to touch down. Rhys Hanbury added the extras from straight in front of the sticks.

On nineteen, Patrick Ah Van got Widnes's second when he took a Hanbury miss-out pass to go ten metres down the line and stoop to ground in the left corner. Hanbury hit the far upright with the conversion attempt, but his side had a 10-0 lead.

On thirty-two Castlefords Paddy Flynn, on a season long loan from the Vikings, scored a ten metre try down the left wing off a Denny Solomona pass. Luke Gale converted from the touchline to reduce the arrears to four points at 10-6.

Widnes got their third try of the night with just seconds left to the hooter. Chasing down a Joe Mellor kick, Thompson failed to gather the ball but failed to touch it with his hands. As the ball bounced free Chris Bridge picked it up and grounded. Hanbury missed the conversion and his side went into the interval with a 14-6 lead.

After a comedy of errors at the start of the second half, Paddy Flynn went in for his second of the match thanks to great work by Adam Milner who created the space for a long pass to the winger. Gale converted in off the upright for 12-14.

On fifty-three the Vikings regained their mojo when Patrick Ah Van burrowed under the tacklers to ground the ball on the line. Referee sent the decision to the video referee as a try and the man in the booth greed. When Hanbury slotted over the two the lead was back to eight.

Three minutes later and Lloyd White scored for Widnes with a lunge from acting half-back. Hanbury was again accurate with the boot for 26-12. It was now Widnes's for the losing.

It was great individual try on sixty three when Lloyd White put in a grubber which he collected himself and grounded by the uprights. Hanbury added the two. From a short kick-off Joe Mellor Collected the ball and went fifty metres to score without a Castkeford hand on him. Hanbury added the two and Widnes had four tries in ten minutes, and the game in their pockets.

On sixty-nine Larne Patrick got a Cas' consolation, but Gale missed the extras but from the kick-off return Solomona and Gale combined to go in under the sticks. Gale added the two for 22-38.

On seventy-three Paddy Flynn got his hat-trick, sliding over in the corner. Gale kicked the two and now the margin was down to just ten points at 28-38.

This was a game that Widnes dominated, but which they seemed to try their best to throw away. Castleford weren't up to their usual standards and their defensive laxity allowed Widnes to have periods where they could score at will. Both sides will need to buck up their ideas if they hope to turn a Super Eights spot into a play-off berth, and neither were overly convincing here.

Tigers: Solomona, Monaghan, Crooks, Webster, Flynn (3T), McShane, Gale (T, 4G), Jewitt, Milner, Patrick (T), Moors, McMeeken, Massey. Subs: Millington, Springer, Tickle, Cook.

Vikings: Hanbury (5G), Thompson, Runciman, Bridge (T), Ah Van (2T), Mellor (T), Brown, Cahill, White (2T), Buchanan, Whitley, Dean, Leuluai (T). Subs: Chapelhow, Manukafoa, Walker, Heremaia.

Referee: Jack Smith

Attendance: