Super League: Wigan Warriors 48-6 Castleford Tigers - Abbas Miski scores five tries in emphatic win

Abbas Miski was Wigan's star man in a comprehensive win

Wigan pummelled Castleford for an eighth straight win to remain in pole position for the League Leaders' Shield.

Abbas Miski scored four of his five tries before half-time as the Warriors remain top on points difference.

Jake Wardle, Sam Powell, Kai Pearce-Paul, Jay Field and Bevan French also registered for the home side.

Jason Qareqare crossed for Castleford, who were assured of survival after Wakefield's defeat at Leigh Leopards.

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Wigan's victory means they maintain their place at the top of Super League with one game of the regular season remaining and their 10-try victory padded out their already sizeable points difference lead on second-placed St Helens.

Saints beat Warrington on Friday to keep pace with Wigan while Catalans face Leeds on Saturday in their own pursuit of the League Leaders' Shield.

The Cherry and Whites take on town rivals Leigh Leopards in their final fixture before the play-offs next week knowing that because of their superior points difference, victory will gift them a first League Leaders' Shield since 2020.

Miski crossed in the corner just five minutes in after the Warriors stripped the ball from Liam Horne, and though Harry Smith slotted the extras, he could not repeat the feat when Miski added another three minutes later after collecting a perfect cross-field kick from French.

Liam Marshall's reverse pass paved the way for Wardle to extend the lead on 16 minutes, but Cas replied with a Blake Austin kick causing a knock-on before Greg Eden freed Qareqare down the flank, with Austin kicking the extras on 20 minutes.

Warriors' defence had to hold firm on a couple of occasions but Miski completed his fifth hat-trick of the season just after the half-hour after a lightning set - and there was still time for him to add his fourth seconds before the hooter, holding off Qareqare to dot down in the corner.

The onslaught continued after the break as Powell scored under the posts following a burst from Patrick Mago, and Field's break set up Pearce-Paul for another within four minutes of the restart.

Ryan Hampshire - on his first appearance since May - took over the kicking duties before Tigers' Austin was sin-binned for dissent, with Field jinking his way through for another try on 58 minutes against the 12 men.

French blazed away from halfway to score Wigan's ninth try under the posts in the closing stages, with Hampshire adding his third conversion before Miski got his fifth try of the game - and 27th of the season - in the closing stages after Toby King's pass.

Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet told BBC Radio Manchester:

"I thought it was very professional. There was a spell in the middle of the game where standards dropped a little bit but it did allow us to give some game time to different lads.

[On heading to Leigh in the final game of the season] "It's going to be fantastic. I've lots of respect for Leigh and what they've done this year. It''s going to be a real hostile environment. You don't win the League Leaders' Shield by doing it any other way. I'm looking forward to and I know Leigh are too.

[On Abbas Miski] "I can't praise him enough. The way he commits himself during the week, it's no surprise he gets his rewards at the weekend. He scored five tries and he did a lot of work for us off the ball as well."

Castleford head coach Danny Ward told BBC Radio Leeds:"There are a lot of mixed emotions. Sadness and a lot of sympathy goes to the Wakefield boys - the whole club. It's a tough place to be for them.

"I am gutted for Wakey but I am happy for Cas; the town, our fans. I am buzzing for them and what it means - averting potential disaster for the community."I was disappointed with the performance. We prepared well and came in knowing the areas we needed to be good at, but we didn't execute tonight."Yes I am happy, but are we celebrating 11th place? No. That's not good enough. The lads know that."We have been taught a bit of a lesson by Wigan. That's the standard we need to strive for. We have to keep working hard to get there."

Wigan: Field; Miski, King, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Ellis, Powell, Dupree, Pearce-Paul, Nsemba, Smithies.

Interchanges: Shorrocks, Mago, Hill, Hampshire.Castleford: Austin; Qaraqare, Turner, Broadbent, Wallis; Eden, Miller; Watts, Horne, Mustapha, Mellor, Lawler, Hall.

Interchanges: Griffin, Massey, Martin, Johnstone.

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