Salford (6) 22
Tries: Fitzpatrick, Littler, Broughton, Sibbit Goals: Holdsworth

Castleford (22) 28
Tries: Widders 3, Huby, Ferres Goals: Westerman

Dean Widders had previously scored just one try in six games this season

Dean Widders' first-half hat-trick was just enough to earn Castleford their second win in six days at The Willows.

After stand-off Widders' two tries in the first five minutes, bolstered by one from Craig Huby, Salford pulled a score back through Karl Fitzpatrick.

Widders completed his hat-trick for a 22-6 half-time lead, only for Salford to level through Stuart Littler, Jodie Broughton and Ian Sibbit.

And it took a late effort from Cas centre Brett Ferres to win it.

Cas raced into a 16-0 lead after running in three early tries.

Steve Snitch and Mitchell Sargent set up Widders, who was then there again to apply the finishing touch after Joe Arundel broke down the left and passed inside for Ryan Hudson.

With Salford still to get going, the Tigers claimed a third try in the 16th minute when Huby crashed over from close range from Rangi Chase's short ball.

Salford at last responded when Luke Swain broke through the Cas line 40 metres out and Karl Fitzpatrick was in support to finish off for the Reds' first try in the 24th minute.

But Cas stretched their lead in the 28th minute when Widders backed up a Kyle Wood break to complete a hat-trick, Joe Westerman making it three goals from four attempts with the boot.

Salford started the second half strongly with two tries within six minutes of the restart.

Littler touched down from a Smith grubber before Broughton beat Ferres on the left wing to race over in the corner from 50 metres out.

Westerman missed a 40-metre penalty as he attempted to give Cas some breathing space. And Salford then levelled after a chip-and-chase by star scrum-half Holdsworth sparked the move for Sibbit's try.

Holdsworth converted to make it 22-22 with still 20 minutes left. And both sides had chances to win it.

But Ferres burst through from Chase's pass with six minutes left to claim a deserved victory.

Salford coach Shaun McRae said: "We gave Castleford an opportunity in the first quarter of an hour, we were just leaking points.

"We lacked impact in the tackle and our line speed was poor, and from that moment on it's always hard to get back into the game.

"But our second-half performance was terrific. When we got it back to 22-22 we're feeling we can win the game, but there was a bad defensive read for their try.

"You can put that down to the heat, fatigue, the fact we had to work overtime defensively in the first half - and that ultimately cost us the match."

Castleford coach Terry Matterson said:

"We highlighted that this was a really important week in our season. If we didn't get the results we wanted then it would make the last nine games fairly tough and we've worked really hard.

"The wins haven't been easy, they were both by small margins, but we have lost games from those positions at other times so we're really pleased.

"I was happy with the mixture between playing open rugby and our composure - we haven't seen a lot of that from us this year."

Salford: Fitzpatrick, Broughton, Talau, Gibson, Tyrer, M Smith, Holdsworth, Boyle, Alker, Sidlow, Sibbit, Littler, Swain.
Replacements: J Smith, Parker, Adamson, Leuluai.

Castleford: McGoldrick, Dixon, Arundel, Ferres, Wainwright, Widders, Chase, Higgins, Hudson, Jackson, Huby, Snitch, Westerman.
Replacements: Sargent, Jones, Thompson, Wood.

Referee: Steve Ganson (St Helens).

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