Challenge Cup: Castleford Tigers 53-10 St Helens

Castleford put on a masterclass to beat St Helens and book a place in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

Michael Shenton and Jake Webster scored tries inside the first 11 minutes for Cas, before Ryan Morgan closed the gap.

St Helens were left stunned when Webster grabbed a second, while Paul McShane, Greg Minikin and Nathan Massey scored as Cas led 31-4 at half-time.

Greg Eden had a second-half hat-trick and Minikin ran 70 metres, while Luke Douglas scored St Helens' consolation.

Castleford, four-time winners of the Challenge Cup, scored six tries in 17 minutes either side of half-time to rip the heart out of St Helens.

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After a tight opening, Cas, who have a one-point lead at the top of Super League, blew St Helens away with four tries in seven minutes to take a 27-point half-time lead.

Webster, who signed a one-year contract extension earlier on Saturday, gathered a brilliantly lofted pass by Ben Roberts, and Eden's clever run was the catalyst for McShane to sneak over.

Roberts' run and perfectly judged kick-through was finished off by Minikin, while Massey dived over under the posts.

Castleford came out after the break in the same fashion and Eden scored a second-half hat-trick.

The Castleford-born full-back spectacularly jumped in one-handed in the left-hand corner, ran in unchallenged in the same corner and then took a Zak Hardaker pass to score his 18th try of the season.

Minikin burst through from 70 metres for his second, while Douglas powered in under the posts for a consolation for St Helens.

Castleford have won the Challenge Cup four times, with their last success coming in 1986

Cas end run of defeats against St Helens

Castleford's victory was their first against St Helens in six matches, a run stretching back to June 2015 when their last victory was a narrow one-point success in the Super League.

It was also Castleford's first Challenge Cup victory between the two sides since they won the 1970 semi-final 6-3 on their way to the second of back-to-back Challenge Cup titles.

St Helens, who have won the last three cup meetings, never looked likely to reach the last eight and add to their 12 Challenge Cups.

Castleford's Luke Gale:

"I think we are a group of players who enjoy playing football together. We have fun at training and we bring it onto the pitch as well.

"This was an outstanding performance and that's what we have in the locker.

"Last season we were criticised for our defence and we knew pre-season we had to work on our defence and I think we have done that.

"We enjoy throwing that ball about and you can tell with our performance."

St Helens caretaker coach Jamahl Lolesi:

"Unfortunately we're in a bit of a hole at the moment. It's a little bit worrying. We've got some issues we need to sort out.

"We didn't compete hard for 60 minutes of last week's game and probably 80 minutes of today's game.

"We've a group of young men who will need to stand up and start doing better for the club."

Castleford: Hardaker, Minikin, Webster, Shenton, Eden, T. Holmes, Gale, Lynch, McShane, Millington, Sene-Lefao, McMeeken, Milner.

Replacements: Massey, Roberts, Moors, Cook.

St Helens: Makinson, Swift, Percival, Morgan, Grace, Fages, Smith, Walmsley, Roby, Douglas, Taia, Knowles, Thompson.

Replacements: Amor, Wilkin, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Richards.

Referee: Phil Bentham (RFL).