Castleford defeated by 12-man Wakefield

Castleford experienced a significant defeat against Wakefield, a team that played with only 12 men, on Friday, 24 July 2026, at the DIY Kitchens Stadium. The final score was 52-14, marking a disheartening evening for the Castleford side, who found themselves outclassed in the West Yorkshire derby.

Tom Johnstone and Lachlan Walmsley both scored two tries for Wakefield, who ran in a total of nine tries. The match began with Wakefield taking the lead just 45 seconds in when Johnstone created space on the left and sent the ball inside to Matty Storton for the opening try. Max Jowitt converted to put Wakefield ahead 6-0.

Castleford fought back when Tom Weaver capitalized on a deflected grubber kick in the 16th minute, converting his own try to level the score at 6-6. However, shortly after, the situation worsened for Castleford when Storton was sent off for a high tackle on Alex Mellor. Following this, Jason Qareqare scored for Wakefield, restoring their lead.

By half-time, Wakefield was ahead 18-10 after Jowitt scored and converted his own try, following another Wakefield try from Caius Faatili. The second half began with Wakefield continuing to assert their dominance. Isaiah Vagana scored a try after collaborating with Cameron Scott, and Johnstone quickly secured another two tries.

Wakefield’s lead extended further as Corey Hall and Walmsley both added scores, with Jowitt converting an impressive three tries, bringing his total to 20 points. Castleford managed to get a late consolation try through Qareqare, but it was not enough to change the outcome of the match.

After the match, Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell expressed optimism for the remainder of the season, emphasizing the importance of consistency and team cohesion. He acknowledged the upcoming tough away match against Catalans and insisted that his team should remain focused but excited about their performance.

In contrast, Castleford's coach, Ryan Carr, shared his disappointment, stating that although they started the match well, they struggled to maintain possession afterward. He noted, "Unfortunately, you can’t win if you don’t have the ball, and you won’t have the ball unless you want to make tackles. It’s a simple game."