WARRINGTON Wolves kept the pressure up on Super League’s top spot with a 28-6 win away at Castleford.
Young full-back Cai Taylor-Wray, deputising for the injured Matt Dufty, got the only try of a tough first half as the Tigers proved tricky to break down.
Sam Burgess’ side weren’t helped by a sin-bin for Luke Yates, though after surviving that 10 minute period, Taylor-Wray showcased his lightning speed by breaking through and weaving his way to score in the corner, a try that was eventually given by the video referee due to doubts over the grounding of the ball.
Josh Thewlis added the conversion and he was also responsible for the only other points of the first half, a penalty goal from 10 metres out bang in front after some sustained Warrington pressure.
Castleford might have taken that as a small victory for their defensive efforts which limited Warrington to 8-0 at half time.
The livewire Danny Walker contributed to a fast start to the second half, and it was his break through the middle that set up the platform for John Bateman to score his first try for Warrington, almost accidentally finding his way through a gap off a last tackle Josh Drinkwater pass.
Castleford briefly rallied and got a try of their own on the board on 52 minutes, Luke Hooley getting on the end of a move that saw the ball go from side to side of the pitch and back again via several offloads.
That got the home crowd interested and for a spell they asked questions of Warrington’s defence.
But after Warrington survived a penalty concession in front of the posts, they worked their way up the other end through a Rodrick Tai break, and then Walker darted out of dummy half and put Matty Nicholson in.
Thewlis missed a relatively routine conversion which kept Castleford within two scores, but their hopes were finally quashed with 10 minutes to go.
George Williams managed to squeeze an offload away through his legs to set off a last tackle play that ended with Ben Currie’s long pass being helped on by Toby King for Ashton to finish in the left corner.
Thewlis got a try that his efforts all night deserved late on, taking Taylor-Wray’s long pass to the line after Warrington had drawn the Castleford defence towards the middle.
The win moves Warrington Wolves back to second in the table, albeit until Wigan face Hull on Sunday.
After the game Warrington Wolves coach Sam Burgess insisted handing Cai Taylor-Wray his first Betfred Super League start was a “no-brainer.”
With leading try-scorer and Man of Steel candidate Matt Dufty out for up to six weeks after having knee surgery on Wednesday, 18-year-old Taylor-Wray deputised at full-back and made a lasting impression.
“It was easy, a no-brainer. We put a lot of trust in Cai and we know what he can bring. We figured we’d just try to make a straight swap, if a full-back’s out then we put a full-back in,” said Burgess.
“We knew he was capable of doing that because he’s been doing it all year in the reserves and the academy. He’s a talented, little player so we’re trying to expose him as much as we can.
“If there’s a positive out of the Dufty situation, it means Cai will get a good, solid bunch of games together. It will only be good for his development.”
Castleford: Hoy, Qareqare, Hooley (t, g), Tate, Senior, Windley, Miller, Watts, Horne, Westerman, Mellor, El-Zakhem, Hill. Subs: McShane, Namo, Johnson, Hindmarsh.
Warrington Wolves: Taylor-Wray (t), Thewlis (t, 4g), King, Tai, Ashton (t), Williams, Drinkwater, Yates (sb), Powell, Vaughan, Nicholson (t), Bateman (t), Currie. Subs: Walker, Harrison, Musgrove, Crowther.
That is outstanding 👏
Cai Taylor-Wray with some individual brilliance for @WarringtonRLFC 🐺#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/bfZ0alVpdu
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) August 23, 2024
