Farrell's feet provide a path for wayward Wigan

Wigan 26 Castleford 14

Wigan ended Castleford's season as their young and depleted team held firm to take them through to the next stage of the Super League play-offs and a meeting with Leeds on Friday.

Yet it was Castleford's kicking game which produced the game's first try, Danny Orr's ball to the corner for Waine Pryceto touch down. That could have been an unnerving start for a Wigan side short on experience in several departments, but they bounced back with two tries in four minutes. The first came when Julian O'Neill launched a high kick, David Hodgson leapt highest to knock it back and Adrian Lam picked up the pieces to score.

A mistake by the Castleford prop, Andy Lynch, losing the ball in a tackle near the Wigan line, led to the second, Hodgson running 60 yards for the score.

Farrell converted both to put his side in a strong position, before Wigan wasted two opportunities. First, Kris Radlinski dropped the ball with the line open, then the full-back was at fault again – a loose pass intercepted by Darren Rogers.

Wigan paid for such profligacy in the 25th minute. Michael Eagar took Orr's pass and although he was grounded by Martin Aspinwall's tackle he was allowed to get to his feet and proceed through a statuesque defence to touch down.

Farrell, goal-kicking again for the first time since his injury woes began in July, scored a penalty for a four point half-time lead, but Wigan must have thought that they should have been further ahead.

The try that put Wigan firmly in command was contentious. The home side counter-attacked but the accident-prone Radlinski appeared to have dropped the ball. An instinctive foot saved the day and, as the Tigers' froze, Danny Tickle played to the whistle and dropped on the loose ball for a try which was allowed by the video referee.

Castleford's last real chance disappeared when Darren Rogers went over from Orr's pass only to lose the ball in Gary Connolly's tackle as he dived over.

Wigan sealed it as David Furner side-stepped through a tiring defence and Eagar's second for Cas came too late in a season in which they have battled so well to even get into the play-offs.

Wigan: Radlinski; Aspinwall, Connolly, Hodgson, Briscoe; O'Neill, Lam; Howard, Newton, C Smith, Tickle, Furner, Farrell. Substitutes used: M Smith, Sculthorpe, Bibey, Wild.

Castleford: Rogers; Wells, Johnson, Eagar, Pryce; Orr, Lennon; Warren, Hudson, Lynch, Fritz, Michael Smith, Bartrim. Substitutes used: Mather, Sykes, Harland, Saxton.

Referee: S Ganson (St Helens).