Leeds dominate Castleford to end losing run

Betfred Super League

Leeds (14) 32

Tries: Handley, Croft, Frawley, Martin 2 Goals: Martin 6

Castleford (0) 4

Try: El-Zakhem

Leeds Rhinos moved up to sixth in Super League as they ended a two-game losing run by comfortably beating Castleford Tigers at Headingley.

Ash Handley dotted down in the corner for Leeds early on and Brodie Croft ran in under the posts for their second.

Matt Frawley and Rhyse Martin then crashed over early in the second half as they padded out their advantage.

Elie El-Zakhem sneaked through as Castleford finally got on the scoreboard just after the hour mark but Martin's second wrapped up a valuable two points for the hosts.

Leeds started well and Cameron Smith drove over the line inside the first two minutes only to have his effort chalked off due to a knock-on from Handley in the build-up.

They took the lead having soaked up some pressure from Cas and a flowing move saw Handley played through to touch down at the left corner.

The second try came when Croft exploited a gap to barge his way through.

Frawley's score, two minutes into the second half, came as he bettered the Castleford backline with a dummy before battering his way over.

Martin showed great strength to arc the ball over as once again Leeds caught out a lacklustre visiting defence, which had few answers to the Rhinos attack.

Castleford finally got going deep into the second half against the run of play as they worked the ball laterally to El-Zakhem, who beat three defenders to touch down.

But any remote hope of a comeback was extinguished when Rowan Milnes missed the extras.

In the end, Martin's second try quelled any fears Leeds would let their lead slip as he touched down with relative ease at the tail end of a forgettable day for the Tigers, who were defeated for the ninth time in 13 league games this term.

Smith 'proud' despite 'leaving points out there'

Leeds Rhinos coach Rohan Smith told BBC Sport:

"We were a bit sloppy at the end and I think we probably left a few points out there but I'm really proud with the way the boys have handled the week and some of the other stuff that goes on in the outside world they've handled really well.

"I thought we played confidently at the start which is what you have to do.

"You have to attack the game and good things happen, and that's what happened today."

Castleford Tigers boss Craig Lingard told BBC Sport:

"I thought we didn't approach the game as we should for whatever reason. The intensity, the desire that a derby game deserves.

"I thought we were slow at the start of the game. Leeds won every contact offensively and defensively.

"We took the easy way out a lot of the time."

Leeds: Miller; Edgell, Momirovski, Newman, Handley; Croft, Frawley; Oledzki, O'Connor, Goudemand, McDonnell, Martin, Smith.

Interchanges: Sangare, Lisone, Johnson, Nicholson-Watton.

Castleford: Hoy; Qareqare, Hall, Wood, I Senior; Milnes, Miller; Griffin, Horne, Hall, Mellor, El-Zakhem, Westerman.

Interchanges: Watts, Putt, Namo, Robb.

Referee: Chris Kendall.