Impressive Castleford RUFC deliver nine-try spectacular

The contest pitted pace against forward strength, with the latter emerging after an opening scare.

Centre Mickey Firth powered over for an early opening score with Ian Mattison converting.

This fired up the students and their slick, cross-field passing led to a brace of unconverted tries from Oliver Nix and Jack Roberts to take a 10-7 lead.

But winger Craig Riley soon regained the lead for Cas with a try in the corner which Mattison converted.

Further excellent open rugby opened up a length of the field score for a second Nix try. The Castleford fightback was swift and devastating as second rower Steve Parkinson strode powerfully through three would-be tackles to stretch over for his debut first team score. Mattison converted.

Second rower Gareth Grant-Mills then reached out from a rolling maul for the last try of the half.

Clever interplay opened up the students' defensive line in the second half and flanker Kean Hiscock skated in under the posts before Grant-Mills added his second and skipper Jamie Owens put scrum-half Ben Mayes through a gap for the next try.

The best try of the game saw Parkinson, Firth, and Riley combine to send Callum Armstrong in for his debut score.

A second Mayes try following an offload from Grant-Mills near the line finished the try-scoring feast. Mattison converted all of the five second half tries.

PICTURE SPECIAL: 18 images from Ponfefract RUFC's West Yorkshire derby victory over Morley

The first XV look forward to welcoming Burley RUFC this Saturday, which is also the club’s annual Vice Presidents’ Dinner.

Castleford RUFC second XV kicked their season off with a strong win, with many debutants and returning players putting in some strong performances.

They beat Cleckheaton third XV 34-24 with tries from Connor Cambridge, George Constantine (two), Nathan Tomlinson, Ben Gibson and Craig Smith with conversions from Constantine and Gibson.