Dagnall double as St Helens dominate Castleford

Betfred Super League

St. Helens (28) 40

Percival, Dagnall, Robertson, Feldt, Clark, Robertson, Sailor Goals: Feldt (6)

With two tries, Owen Dagnall’s remarkable Super League debut saw St. Helens strengthen their playoff chances by defeating Castleford Tigers.

The 19-year-old scored seven tries in eight games before capping a Saints’ run-and-a-wonderful display at the Totally Wicked Stadium with a superb solo effort for his second.

The Saints won five straight wins from their previous six games when they won the first half on a runaway try from Mark Percival, Dagnall, Kyle Feldt, Daryl Clark, and a stunning length-of-field effort from Harry Robertson.

Cas improved in the second half, but Dagnall put together a fantastic second try and Tristan Sailor added another to give the Tigers their first win in six.

After a five-game winning streak that had rekindled after Leigh Leopards’ previous home defeat, Saints needed to come back after struggling Castleford were easy meat.

Percival was unable to recover from that defeat due to illness, but he made his return with a strong run on Moses Mbye’s pass to win the match. Dagnall added a second try when Sailor’s chip over the defence lobbed nicely for him.

After Sailor broke through and flipped a pass out of his hand for Feldt, a slack defenseman gave Clark the opportunity to scoot over from the base of a scrum.

Cas finally launched an attack, but Josh Simm was denied a try after video referee Liam Rush noticed a foot in touch, and Chris Atkin’s kick was intercepted by Robertson, who then ran deep in his own half to go over.

The Saints’ first-half kick, which he somehow reached first and gleefully scored on for his second try, went flat as they took their foot off the accelerator, which was symptomatic of their in-and-out season. Dagnall then fired them up again by carving through a gap before launching an ambitious kick for the corner, which he somehow reached first and gleefully tapped on for his second try.

Paasi, Wingfield, Delaney, and Burns are the exchanges.

Rooney, Simm, Cini, Senior, Djeukessi, Asi, Atkin, Singleton, Lawler, Amone, Stimson, Mellor, Westermann, and Castleford.

Wood, Griffin, Robb, and Hall swap.