BBC Sportrugbyleague

By Phil Gordos BBC Sport at the Millennium Stadium

Brough was involved in most of Wakefield's best attacks

Scott Grix scored a hat-trick of tries as Wakefield hammered Super League basement side Castleford.

The Wildcats tore the Tigers to pieces in the first 22 minutes, scoring tries through Adam Watene, Sam Obst, Grix and Richard Moore to lead 24-0.

A Richard Owen score just before half-time gave Cas some cheer, but second-half tries for Damien Blanch (2), Grix (2) and Ryan Atkins finished them off.

Danny Brough kicked 18 points for John

Kear's impressive Wildcats side.

Brough was in magnificent form for Wakefield, and was at the heart of a performance full of attacking invention and verve.

The 25-year-old, who left Cas at the end of last season, created three tries and kicked nine goals from 10 attempts and was unlucky to be denied a try by the video referee.

Brough opened the scoring with a penalty, and Adam Watene - in his first appearance since returning from compassionate leave after his father's death - stretched the lead with a well-taken try.

606: DEBATE What did you make of Wakefield's performance?

Obst added the next, and a long pass from Moore put Grix over in the corner for the third.

Moore ran in the fourth from 20m after brilliant work from Brough in the build-up as Wakefield began to run riot.

Castleford finally crossed just before the break with Owen scoring the try in the corner.

But it was more punishment in the second half for Cas as Grix claimed his second within five minutes of the restart after a fine Brough kick rebounded off a post.

The impressive Joe Westerman did power over for the Tigers, but a poor pass from Ryan McGoldrick allowed Blanch to sprint clear for his first Wildcats try.

Castleford crossed again through Michael Shenton, before Brough had a try harshly ruled out for an earlier obstruction after he had collected his own chip ahead to dot down.

Atkins claimed the Tigers' eighth try before Blanch took Wakefield's total beyond the 50-point mark with his second score of the game.

"That was as bad as it's been for us. We've got no excuses for the second half, there was no fight - that's the most disappointing thing.

"They were hungrier, faster and did everything better than us.

"It was diabolical. In most games we've made the opposition work for their win but that was total capitulation - we gave up."

"It was very accomplished and the guys played with a smile on their face. But there's still room for improvement.

"It was a lot better than we did here last year (when Wakefield lost 36-12 to Huddersfield). We said we'd put on a performance that befits this arena.

"Job one is to win, job two is to look pretty - we managed both."

Castleford: McGoldrick, Donlan, Dixon, Shenton, Owen, Dorn, Sherwin, Higgins, Moore, Huby, Guttenbeil, Cook, Westerman.
Replacements: Henderson, Korkidas, Clayton, Catic.

Wakefield: Blaymire, Gleeson, Martin, Atkins, Grix, Rooney, Brough, Watene, Obst, Moore, MacGillivray, Golden, Dale.
Replacements: Wilkes, Leo-Latu, Bibb, Blanch.

Referee: I Smith (Oldham)