Westerman's boot lifts Cas
Four penalties from Joe Westerman proved the difference in the West Yorkshire derby as Castleford beat Wakefield 20-12.
Last Updated: 26/07/09 5:33pm
Four penalties from Joe Westerman proved the difference in the West Yorkshire derby as Castleford beat Wakefield 20-12.
Both sides managed two tries apiece, but a penalty in the first half and three after the interval from Westerman allowed the Tigers to take the local bragging rights away with them.
It took just 67 seconds for the first score to arrive and it was the result of some fine running from Rangi Chase.
Wakefield gave a penalty away deep in the Tigers half and Chase punted the ball 40 metres down field. As they worked the ball along the line in the following set the Castleford stand-off showed great balance and agility in coasting through a gaping hole in the Wildcats defence.
With Dean Widders on his shoulder a simple pass saw the emergency back, who was playing in the centre, race between the sticks completely unopposed and Westerman added the extras.
With the Cas pack dominating, Wakefield continually came up with errors early in their tackle count and struggled to force back the away side's defensive line in the opening stages.
The pace gradually quickened and a try and conversion from 'Cats scrum-half Danny Brough tied the game up in the 17th minute.
Turn of pace
Following a penalty for a high tackle on prop Michael Korkidas Brough, who for the first time took the line on rather than throw a speculative long pass, stepped his way through an alarming gap in the Castleford defence.
From just 10 metres out he showed a great turn of pace and did well to wrong-foot Castleford full-back Richard Owen before diving over.
Chase could have restored the visitors' lead moments later but he spilled the ball under the challenge of Ricky Bibey as he stretched for the line.
But a penalty for ill-discipline on Wakefield's part four minutes before the half-time siren gave Westerman the chance to put the Tigers back in front with the boot. And he did so with ease from a central position.
And just 76 seconds into the second period Widders crossed for his second of the afternoon.
Again Chase was the provider with another quality pass but it was a catalogue of errors which led to the score with both Castleford's James Evans and Wakefield's Sean Gleeson knocking on in the build-up.
Response
Westerman sent over the resulting conversion and then slotted a penalty between the posts after Wildcats full-back Matt Blaymire was penalised.
Brough once again mustered a response in the 53rd minute when, following good running from the Wildcats pack, he drove at the defence, showed the ball wide and then crashed over the line.
He tagged on the conversion to reduce the gap to just four points but Westerman made it five from five with another penalty in what was a superb display of kicking.
Still he was not done, knocking over another two-pointer at the death to give the Tigers just their second win over the Wildcats in 12 meetings.
