Tigers couldn't cope with St Helens' first-half blitz admits coach Chester

Head coach Chris Chester admitted his side could not cope with St Helens in the first half and was frustrated at the lack of resistance in Castleford Tigers' 40-0 defeat at the TW Stadium on Friday.

- by Harriet Sutton

Saints ran in five tries in the first half, including a 90-metre run from 19-year-old Harry Robertson, as the visitors were totally overwhelmed.

They struggled to rediscover that form after the interval but were still able to close out victory with another 19-year-old Owen Dagnall scoring his second of the game and diving on his own kick.

"I thought Saints were excellent in that first 40 minutes," said Chester. "We just couldn't match them physically, they were just too fast and too strong," he said.

"The thing that disappoints me most is when the chips are down and things are getting tough we didn't have enough guys standing up.

"You could see in the second half they care but that's just where we are as a club; up one week, down the next."