It was hardly the best conditions for kickers with a blustery gale at The Jungle, but the performances on the field ensured both sides left the field with their heads held high.

Wigan, coming off the back of a defeat against Catalans in Perpignan, faced Castleford, who had not won since their away defeat of Warrington. The Warriors were perhaps below standards yet again, as their kick off demonstrated when it sailed out on the full.

And the Tigers proved their determination to win when Brent Sherwin's superb inside ball allowed Ryan McGoldrick to slide through the defence. Craig Huby converted.

And barely five minutes later Cas' crossed again when Andrew Henderson dived over from two metres out, and Huby once again converted to give the Tigers a 12-0 lead.

The pressure continued from Castleford, with Wigan continuously making mistakes including several knock-on's.

But a break down the right provided Wigan with the impetus to get back into the game when Pat Richards followed up his own kick to beat Joe Westerman, tipped to make Tony Smith's England squad this week, to the ball to cross the whitewash. Richards then added the conversion.

But as the enthralling first half drew to a close, Castleford ensured they were at least two scores in front when they gained a penalty in front of the sticks which Huby duly converted.


But if the first half was good, the second half was even better as the lead twisted and turned.

Trent Barrett scythed through the Tigers' slow defence to get back the Warriors back in the game, but it took another twenty minutes before the Warriors sneaked in front.

Micky Higham was the scorer as he sneaked through the Tigers defence to give Wigan a lead they'd hold for barely three minutes.

Peter Lupton got onto the end of a Brent Sherwin pass to step inside and hold off the challenge from full-back Richie Mathers to get the Tigers back in front.

But Thomas Leuluai looked to have given the Tigers a kick in the teeth when he went over for the Warriors' fourth try of the game, with Richards again adding the extras.

But Huby ensured Castleford had the last points of the game squaring things up with five minutes to go.

Both sides had chances to win the game, with Wigan's attempts at scoring ending in a forward-pass, and Sherwin's drop goal attempt was charged down to ensure the spoils were shared.

Castleford Tigers 22
T: McGoldrick (5); Henderson (18); Lupton (66)
G: Huby (5, 19, 29, 67, 75)

Wigan Warriors 22
T: Richards (21); Barrett (43); Higham (63); Leuluai (73)
G: Richards (22, 44, 64)

Ref: B Thaler
Venue: The Jungle
Attendance: 7,048