With ten minutes left they were staring defeat in the face. But this team does not lie down and a touch of brilliance ignited a thrilling fightback.
It came from winger and man of the match Lee Land, whose magical run brought the home of English RU to its feet.
Land took a short ball from substitute scrum-half Mikey Hayward just inside his own half and accelerated through the gap between centre and wing and up the touchline side before changing direction across field.


He then powered through two desperate attempts at tackles before giving centre Jason Dunwell a clear run to the line. Substitute Ian Mattison added the easy conversion and Castleford were home and dry.
Cas were at full-strength for their dream date and despite not having played for three weeks, made a brisk start.
Penetrating
A crossfield move gave Land an early touch and he made good yards before being bundled into touch. After excellent disruption from the pack, scrum-half Gary Smith pounced to nail his opposite number to win a penalty for non-release but stand-off Steve Willett slipped and pushed the penalty attempt wide.


The front three of Stephen Johnson, Stuart Whybrow and young Gareth Paul were strong throughout the first half and made some powerful penetrating runs. One set up space for Dunwell to break and kick downfield for winger John Bramham, only for the ball to inch its way dead.
Phoenix launched an excellent counter and only dogged defence kept them at bay. Doncaster continued to attack, however, and centre Ben Millar nervously missed an easy penalty chance.


Another Cas attack ended with a high kick from centre Daniel Price deep into Phoenix territory. Land regathered but put a foot in touch just before the whitewash.
The West Yorkshiremen took the lead with a try on 30 minutes. Second-row Paul Connell rose high to tap the ball down to Smith. The chance looked lost as the ball went sluggishly across the line but winger Bramham came inside to send a long ball out to Land, who raced in for the score. Willett added a good conversion to extend the lead to 7-0.
Cas ended the half on a high and skipper Chris Willett picked up from the base of a turnover scrum to power forward to win a penalty in the dying seconds but brother Steve's difficult attempt went just wide.
Phoenix set Cas back on their heels as they rose from their first-half ashes to storm back into the game - and give the Willowbridge Laners and their supporters the fright of their lives.


With the pack starting to take control, fly-half Tim Elliot began to dictate the game with some pinpoint kicking. Full-back Paul Philpott and Price combined to tackle winger Adam Burton a metre short but the pressure soon told as Millar reduced the lead with an easy penalty.


As the Twickenham cauldron sapped the players' strength, Cas brought on Mikey Hayward for Craig Jeffels and Stuart Morley for scavenging flanker Andy Key in an attempt to stem the tide.
Millar kicked another penalty but let Cas off the hook when he missed an easier shot that would have put his side ahead.
Phoenix went for the jugular and took the lead when a rolling maul powered over the line, with substitute prop Alani Kaihau emerging with the ball. Millar could not convert but Phoenix led for the first time at 11-7.


Cas introduced Ian Mattison and back-row Brad Christian in a final throw of the dice and at last the pack regained its supremacy and Niam Waterland control of the line-out.
Experienced flanker Simon Davies had another sound game, purposeful around the fringes as well as stealing the ball on a one-to-one in midfield to set up the winning Land try. And Christian went close to a trademark score, only to fumble as he went over.
Cas were back in the driving seat by the close and introduced back-row Richard Davies and the season's only ever-present, prop Mick Huby, for the final five minutes. Huby replaced Paul, who had given his all in a five-star display.


Castleford's crest is "Audacter et Sincere", which translated means "With boldness and sincerity", a sentiment club officials believe encapsulates this season's 'awesome' efforts.