Castleford Tigers: Andy Last questions side’s resilience to deal with mistakes in-game
Andy Last has been left pondering how to improve his side’s resilience following their third consecutive defeat, losing out comfortably to Hull FC despite heading into the sheds at the break on level terms.
Hull nudged in front just three minutes into the second half through Chris Satae, allowed to get over the line despite pressure from Tigers defenders.
And from the kick-off after that, the hosts went back-to-back, charging straight up the field and going over oncemore from Adam Swift to attain an unassailable lead. In the end, it finished 36-18 with Castleford’s only positive of the second 40 a try from Jack Broadbent.
Frustration the key word for Andy Last
Pre-game, Last discussed recruitment and how hard it was proving to get players through the door to aid their survival bid.
Still sat just two points above Wakefield Trinity, reinforcements will undoubtedly still be on his mind. That issue will become even more prevalent given that loan star Riley Dean, who has impressed in recent weeks, today failed a HIA.
Post-match, he said: “It’s really frustrating. We felt in a good space going into half time, there were just a couple of things we needed to touch on. We didn’t go out and execute what we spoke about, like tidying up our ball control.
“The Satae barge-over try is very dubious, whether he got it down, but we have to show more resilience.
“At the kick-off, we’re still worrying about not getting the call off the referee, they go back-to-back and suddenly the scoreboard pressure is on you and we’re chasing the game.
“Even after that we get back in the game but then we can’t take the kick-off, and they score from that. It breaks your momentum.”
Confidence proving an issue for Castleford Tigers
Being in a game and losing comfortably is something which Castleford are all too much becoming accustomed too.
It was the same tale last week when they hosted Leigh Leopards, and after that game their misery was confounded by a victory for Wakefield Trinity.
Fortunately for Cas, Wakefield were beaten this week by Huddersfield Giants, but Last acknowledged confidence is proving a big problem in the Tigers camp.
He added: “We just aren’t quite resilient and tough enough mentally to deal with that pressure and those mistakes when they happen.
“When you’re in that confident headspace and in that zone, you don’t let things rattle you. You just get on with the next job and stick to the process.
“There’s a little bit of negativity and a feeling that everything is against us. We need to be better than that.”