Dagnall double as St Helens dominate Castleford

Owen Dagnall (centre) celebrates the first of his two tries for Saints against Castleford

Betfred Super League

St Helens (28) 40

Tries: Percival, Dagnall (2), Feldt, Clark, Robertson, Sailor Goals: Feldt (6)

Castleford (0) 0

Owen Dagnall continued his remarkable start to life in Super League with two tries as St Helens strengthened their play-off chances by hammering Castleford Tigers.

The 19-year-old made it seven tries in eight games, capping a hit-and-miss Saints display at the Totally Wicked Stadium with a brilliant solo effort for his second.

Saints made it five wins from their past six games by streaking away in the first half as tries from the returning Mark Percival, Dagnall, Kyle Feldt, Daryl Clark and a stunning length-of-the-field effort from Harry Robertson blew the visitors away.

The second half was littered with Saints errors, while Cas improved, but Dagnall fired it up with a terrific second try, with Tristan Sailor adding another to make it one win in six for the Tigers.

The win means Saints leapfrog Leeds Rhinos into fourth place on points difference.

Saints needed to hit back after the five-match winning streak which had re-ignited their season was ended by a home loss to Leigh Leopards in their last outing, and struggling Castleford were easy meat.

Percival missed that defeat with illness but announced his return with a fine run on to Moses Mbye's pass to streak over, and Dagnall quickly added a second try when Sailor's chip over the defence bounced kindly for him.

The one-way traffic continued as Sailor broke through and flipped a pass out of the back of his hand for Feldt to score, and then Clark was allowed to scoot over from the base of a scrum by some slack defence.

Cas finally put together an attack but Josh Simm was denied a try when video referee Liam Rush spotted a foot in touch, and when the Tigers attacked again, it led to Saints' fifth try as Chris Atkin's kick was seized by Robertson, who then sprinted from deep in his own half to go over.

The bubbling atmosphere inside the stadium went flat as Saints took their foot off the accelerator, symptomatic of their in-and-out season, but Dagnall fired them up again by carving through a gap, and then launching an ambitious kick for the corner which he somehow reached first and gleefully dived on for his second try.

Castleford cracked again and two minutes later Sailor capped a fine game by supporting a break by Ignatius Paasi and easing over the line for a try to which Feldt added his sixth conversion.

St Helens coach Paul Wellens told BBC Radio Merseyside:

"It was a very professional performance from us. We started the game really strongly, and but for a 15- to 20-minute period after half-time when we got a little bit loose, it was pretty convincing.

"I'm happy, but I know we have to find those improvements going forward. The likes of Alex [Walmsley], Morgan [Knowles], Matty Lees and Daryl [Clark] are really doing a good job at this time of laying a platform.

"Obviously, you then need players to come on like Wingy [Jake Wingfield], George Delaney and Ignatius [Paasi], who impacted the game when they came on. Everybody played their part and that's what you need.

"Defensively we were very connected and handled a lot of what was thrown at them - and Owen Dagnall and Harry Robertson came up with two special plays which would make any highlights reel."

Castleford Tigers interim coach Chris Chester told BBC Radio Leeds:

"Saints were excellent in that first 40 minutes. We couldn't match them physically. They were too fast and too strong through that middle third of the field.

"We lacked any real connectivity defensively, and that's the frustrating thing. We found a bit of fight in the second half and kept them scoreless for 30 minutes, and young Cain Robb was outstanding for us when he came on. And I was proud of Andy Djeukussi's debut as well, it was a tough gig for him.

"What disappoints me most is that when the chips were down and things were tough, we just didn't have enough guys standing up.

"That's frustrating because you could see in that second half that they care, but that's where we are as a club, up one week and down the next."

St Helens: Sailor; Feldt, Robertson, Percival, Dagnall; Lomax, Mbye; Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Knowles.

Interchanges: Paasi, Wingfield, Delaney, Burns.

Castleford: Rooney; Simm, Cini, Senior, Djeukessi; Asi, Atkin; Singleton, Lawler, Amone, Stimson, Mellor, Westermann.

Interchanges: Wood, Griffin, Robb, Hall.

Referee: Aaron Moore.