Dallas and Newton in outstanding form as Wigan outclass Castleford

Wigan 48 Castleford 18

Wigan continued to move up the Super League table, jumping two places to second, as they extended their unbeaten run at the JJB Stadium to a calendar year with four-try Brett Dallas and Terry Newton, who scored two tries and created four more, in outstanding form.

Wigan continued to move up the Super League table, jumping two places to second, as they extended their unbeaten run at the JJB Stadium to a calendar year with four-try Brett Dallas and Terry Newton, who scored two tries and created four more, in outstanding form.

"Though Andy Farrell had been grabbing the plaudits Dallas and Newton have been exceptional for a number of months," said Denis Betts, the acting Wigan coach. "For tonight we have achieved the goal we set ourselves a few months ago of getting to second and now it is up to us to maintain that kind of form."

Betts also revealed he was hopeful that Dallas will sign a contract extension to continue his stay at the JJB.

For an hour, bottom club Castleford displayed admirable commitment and enough enterprise in attack to suggest they can still can still escape relegation though their next game, against fellow strugglers Widnes next Saturday, ironically the last team to win at Wigan, could hold the key to their survival hopes.

Wigan fielded Farrell and Kris Radlinski in the unlikely roles of prop and loose forward and recalled Luke Robinson from his loan spell at Castleford for his first game in Wigan colours for nearly four months.

Though the visitors struck first through Waine Pryce, Wigan enjoyed a purple patch with three tries in an inspired 10-minute spell. Brett Dallas streaked away from just inside his own half, Robinson collected Newton's pass high above his head to slice over and Martin Aspinwall was ushered through by more artistry from Newton.

Castleford stemmed the flow and cut the interval lead to 18-10 but Newton, fittingly, got Wigan going again and scored 85 seconds after the resumption.

Matt Gardner replied but Newton was irrepressible, offloading for Dallas to bag his second before going over himself. Darren Rogers notched Castleford's fourth try before the brilliant Newton laid on Dallas's hat-trick. Dallas grabbed his fourth in the dying seconds from a Robinson kick.

Wigan: Connolly; Carney, Wild, Aspinwall, Dallas; O'Loughlin, Robinson; Farrell, Newton, Cassidy, Tickle, Hock, Radlinski. Substitutes used: Hodgson, M Smith, Beswick, Prescott.

Castleford: Gibson; Pryce, Saxton, Rogers, Gardner; Davis, Tony; Sykes, Hepworth, Lynch, Harland, M Smith, Hudson. Substitutes used: Tookey, Clayton, B Smith, Shenton.

Referee: I Smith (Oldham).