Greenshields try stamps on Cas hopes

Castleford Tigers 20 Catalans Dragons

(getty images)

The Dragons rediscovered the art of coming from behind to win away, but only with the help of some eccentric ideas of when to use and not use the video referee. Twice the match referee, Ian Smith, decided against referring Catalan tries to Phil Bentham, when doing so would almost certainly have seen them disallowed.

"I don't understand why they didn't go to the video ref," said Castleford's coach, Terry Matterson. "If you've got it you might as well use it. But that was still a match we should have won."

The Tigers began well, with Rangi Chase resuming where he left off at Huddersfield last week, stretching the Dragons with incisive running and varied kicking. Steve Bell should have dealt with his bomb to the corner after three minutes, though. He knocked it down for Brett Ferres to score. Chase was involved again three minutes later, opening up play via Ryan McGoldrick and Ferres to give Richard Owen a chance which the teenaged full-back took.

Little had been seen of the Catalans in attack but it did not take them long to level the scores. Joe Westerman's magnificent tackle on Bell seemed to have averted any threat but the ball went to the other wing for Dimitri Pelo to score with what looked like a double movement. Cas were still feeling aggrieved when Thomas Bosc's pass put Baile in for the equaliser. The home side had plenty of chances to re-take the lead after that and they thought they had done so when Owen went in from Westerman's flick. The video referee said no.

In the second half, the French side's mistakes and penalties allowed Westerman to kick Cas back into a four-point lead. That lead would have been closer to match-winning proportions if Michael Shenton's try had not been ruled out by the video referee.

Smith then declined to refer Clint Greenshields' effort upstairs when he looked offside before forcing the ball down from Bosc's kick. The try stood and Bosc's conversion put the Catalans ahead. David Ferriol then went close before Dane Carlaw galloped over to stretch their lead.

Owen's second try revived Cas' hopes in the dying minutes, but they were unable to snatch a winner, leaving their fans to demonstrate angrily at the injustice of it all.

Castleford: Owen; Dixon, Widders, Shenton, Wainwright; Faumuina, McGoldrick; Sargent, Chase, Huby, Ferres, Jones, Westerman. Substitutes used: Higgins, Boyle, Clayton, Netherton.

Catalans: Greenshields; Pelo, Croker, Baile, Bell; Mogg, Bosc; Ferriol, McGuire, Guisset, Elima, Gossard, Carlaw. Substitutes used: Mounis, Casty, Ryles, Perry.

Referee: I Smith (Oldham).