Wigan thump Castleford to clinch top-two finish

Betfred Super League

Wigan Warriors (34) 62

Tries: Miski 2, Field 2, Marshall 2, Farrimond 2, Hill, Eckersley, Havard Goals: Farrimond 9

Castleford Tigers (0) 6

Wigan Warriors clinched a top-two finish in Super League and a home semi-final after romping to a 11-try win against lowly Castleford Tigers.

While the victory keeps Wigan’s slim hopes of finishing top of the table alive with just one regular-season game remaining, front-runners Hull KR will win the League Leaders’ Shield on Saturday if they avoid defeat by Wakefield Trinity.

Two tries each from Jack Farrimond and Liam Marshall, after Abbas Miski and Jai Field grabbed early scores, put Wigan 34-0 up at the break.

A second score from Miski and a try from Harvie Hill followed, only for Muizz Mustapha to then dart in for a Tigers consolation try.

Sam Walters very nearly gave Wigan the perfect start, but fumbled the ball in a tackle as he looked to crash over the line inside two minutes.

A handling error from Castleford, as they tried to run the ball out of their own half, meant the early let-off was only a short reprieve, with Bevan French setting Miski up for the game’s first try with a teasing grubber kick that squirmed from the grasp of Tigers full-back Tex Hoy.

Miski then turned provider, intercepting a pass before sending Super League’s leading try-scorer Field over for his 23rd of the season.

Two Marshall tries in five minutes, including a spectacular diving finish which left him with a bloodied scalp after skidding off the turf, had Wigan well on their way to a convincing victory.

Farrimond followed up with back-to-back tries of his own, the first he created for himself with a clever kick before later linking up with Field to run in Wigan’s sixth first-half try.

And with Farrimond converting both of his tries, the 19-year-old – who was brought in to replace England half-back Harry Smith – finished the half with a personal points tally of 18.

Miski then leapt over for his second try of the night eight minutes into the second half after Eckersley juggled a Farrimond kick and offloaded for the winger to finish.

A disastrous attempt of a goal-line drop out for Hoy, which comically went backwards as it sailed and landed back in goal on the left edge, gifted Wigan possession and chance to add to their lead, which Hill eventually did after a succession of repeat sets.

Wigan Warriors: Field; Miski, Eckersley, Wardle, Marshall; French, Farrimond; Havard, Leeming, Thompson, Walters, Nsemba, Ellis.

Interchanges: O’Neill, Mago, Dupree, Hill, Byrne.

Castleford Tigers: Hoy; Tate, Wood, I Senior, Wallis; Asi, Atkin; Lawler, Horne, Singleton, Mellor, Stimson, Westerman.

Interchanges: Robb, Griffin, S Hall, Mustapha, Hill.