Super League: Hull FC 18-18 Castleford Tigers

Clare has now scored five tries in Super League this season

Castleford scored three tries in the last 13 minutes to fight back from 18-4 down to secure a draw at Hull FC in Super League.

Fetuli Talanoa and Jordan Abdull scored to give Hull a 12-4 lead at the break, Michael Shenton replying for Cas.

Kirk Yeaman extended the hosts' lead before Marc Sneyd converted his own score to give Tigers hope.

James Clare crossed twice to bring the scores level but Sneyd's conversion attempt to win the game drifted wide.

The draw means Castleford remain in fourth place in the table, with Clare's late brace ending Hull's hopes of securing their first win in six games.

Hull dominated the early stages and their pressure told when hooker Danny Houghton enabled Yeaman to create an overlap for Talanoa to score, Jordan Rankin adding the extras.

But Tigers hit back against the run of play to get on the scoreboard when Sneyd, who is set to join Hull, broke clear to set up a score for Shenton.

Sneyd missed the conversion, enabling Hull to take an eight-point lead into the interval when Abdull jinked past two defenders to score his first try for the club, which Rankin again converted.

Yeaman crashed over soon after the re-start to capitalise on Castleford winger Kirk Dixon losing the ball just outside his own 20-metre area.

But, with Hull seemingly cruising, Cas cut the deficit when Shenton set up Sneyd to score with a slicing run.

Sneyd converted his own try to cut to gap to eight points, and it was only four when Hull failed to clear the danger from a grubber kick and Clare picked up the loose ball to score from 30 metres.

Hull then had Abdull carried off on a stretcher with a head injury following a collision with Weller Hauraki, who was put on report.

Then, with time running out, Tigers took advantage of a good field position to level the scores and draw the game when Clare collected Sneyd's clever kick to the corner to score his second.

Hull FC coach Lee Radford:

"When you've been leading for such a long period, to lose at the end is really disappointing. But on a positive note, I thought we were physically really dominant, which is really pleasing.

"Last week I was embarrassed but this week I'm proud.

"We are going to look at some crucial points that burned us towards the end, but we had effort and intent and if you bring that every week you are going to win more than you lose."

On Jordan Abdull's injury: "It's not good for a 17-year-old to be going for an X-ray on his neck."

Castleford coach Daryl Powell:

"It was a point gained, that one. We didn't start playing until well into the second half.

"I thought Hull were really good, they obviously responded to what happened to them last week [a 56-10 defeat by Wigan]. They had a bit more energy and a bit more intent and looked like they wanted to win it a bit more than us tonight.

"We were a bit lacklustre for large periods. We just couldn't get any flow into our game but when we need to play well, we've scored more tries than anybody else in the last 20 minutes this year so there's always a chance.

"You can't question the team's character. They've been fantastic again. We probably didn't deserve it but we've had a couple of others where we have deserved it and not got it so on balance we've probably got a square ledger at the moment."

Thursday's line-ups

Hull: Shaul, Lineham, Whiting, Yeaman, Talanoa, Abdull, Rankin, Green, Houghton, Watts, Ellis, Hadley, Westerman.

Replacements: Paea, Thompson, Sa, Heremaia.

Castleford: Dorn, Dixon, Gibson, Shenton, Clare, Sneyd, Finn, Lynch, Milner, Carvell, Mariano, Hauraki, Massey.

Replacements: Millington, Clark, Holmes, Wheeldon.

Referee: James Child (RFL)