Ashton’s long-range try sets up big Warrington win over Castleford

Daryl Powell’s unbeaten start as the Warrington coach continued as his side recorded a comfortable victory over his former club Castleford, who remain without a win to their name so far in 2022 under their new coach, Lee Radford.

After a hard-earned victory at Leeds last weekend in Powell’s first match in charge, their second consecutive win of the new Super League season was rather more straightforward. Warrington were never behind here against a Tigers side still yet to get going this year, and visibly adjusting to life under Radford with more difficulty than the Wolves are under Powell.

Perhaps most encouragingly of all, you sense his new side still have several more gears to click through, too. Their half-back partnership of George Williams and George Widdop look to have settled well under Powell, a coach renowned for promoting an attacking style of rugby league. The early signs for the Wolves look to be very healthy: in stark contrast to his former club.

Castleford started brightly and looked in a position to strike first, but a stray pass close to the Warrington line was picked off superbly by Matty Ashton. Ashton, one of the fastest players in the competition, raced the length of the field in the blink of an eye to put the Wolves in front, perhaps slightly against the run of play to that point.

But that early try firmly shifted the momentum in Warrington’s favour, and there was little argument when they doubled their lead as the midway point in the half approached. Their second came whe Widdop and Williams linked up to devastating effect, with Widdop sending Williams across and giving Stefan Ratchford the simplest of conversions to make it 12-0.

Castleford, to their credit, showed plenty of endeavour in response.