Matterson hails half-backs

Castleford coach Terry Matterson was full of praise for half-back duo Rangi Chase and Danny Orr after they starred in the rout of Crusaders.

The Tigers bounced back from their first defeat of the year at Bradford by scoring 10 tries in a 56-16 victory at the PROBIZ Coliseum.

The hosts led 22-0 at the break and such was the one-sided nature of the game, Matterson could afford to rest veteran Orr in the second half.

Winger Kirk Dixon, who scored two tries and kicked eight goals, and Nick Youngquest were also singled out by the Australian.

Working well

“Rangi and Danny are working really well together,” Matterson said. “It was good I was able to take Danny off in the second half because he probably wasn’t 100% fit today, although you wouldn’t think it.

“Those two players are integral to everything we are doing. The other guys are laying the platform for them.

“Our wingers Kirk Dixon and Nick Youngquest were also outstanding. It was good to see Youngquest playing well against his old club Crusaders.”

The win moves the Tigers up to second in the Engage Super League table, two points back of leaders Warrington with a game in hand.

Matterson added: “We played against a side who are struggling for numbers and are battling in every sense but we did the job and I’m really pleased about that.

“It was good to see the boys throwing the ball around and enjoying themselves in the second half. I am sure the crowd enjoyed it as well.”

Opposite number Iestyn Harris admitted Crusaders’ poor discipline was a major concern as they suffered a sixth straight league loss.

The Welsh club had three players – Vince Mellars, Michael Witt and Clinton Schifcofske – sin-binned in a first half that saw the penalty count finish at 15-3 against them.

Harris said: “I thought the penalty count was harsh but ultimately we obviously have got a problem because we seem to be on the end of some very one-sided penalty counts at the moment, so perhaps that is something we need to adjust.

“I thought we caught Castleford on a good day but it’s tough when you have three men in the sin-bin.

“It was a very difficult first half and the penalty count made it very difficult to compete but I don’t want to take anything away from Castleford. They were good when they had the ball and they had way too much of it from the penalties.

“We just have some things we have to fix up at the moment.”

Weakened

Harris is hoping that his side’s fortunes will improve once he can field a stronger line-up.

“We have got no back-rowers at the moment,” he admitted. “Peter Lupton wasn’t available today because his wife is having a baby at the moment but obviously we have our Australian guys who are with us for next week.”

At least the Wales boss was able to call upon the services of former Leeds and Hull player Jordan Tansey, who joined Crusaders during the week.

On Tansey, Harris added: “I thought Jordan looked good. He has only been with us five days but he looked composed and looked threatening with the ball in hand.”