Leeds Rhinos have continued their fine start to the Super League season with a comfortable 26-12 win away at Castleford Tigers.
The Rhinos have been the stand-out team during the opening weeks of the new season, and their confidence showed during the opening quarter as they went over for two tries.
A flowing move on the left-hand side of the pitch ended with Joel Moon touching over for his first try since June, before Ryan Hall touched down after his side hit Castleford on the break.
However, on 26 minutes, the home team found a way back into the match when skipper Michael Shenton scored a try after getting on the end of a kick from Liam Finn.
Castleford needed to stay in contention heading into half time, but four minutes before the break, Leeds reopened a 10-point lead when Stevie Ward latched on to a grubber from Liam Sutcliffe to get a decisive touch to the ball.
The start of the second half continued at the pace that the majority of the encounter had been played at, but the scoreline remained the same, partly due to the defending of Castleford's Luke Dorn who stopped Adam Cuthbertson extending the lead.
However, after the game entered the final quarter, Leeds scored two more tries in quick succession, with Hall going over for his second after good work from Moon and Danny McGuire before Cuthbertson finally got on the scoresheet after bulldozing his way through the backline.
Shenton reduced the deficit late on after completing a well-executed breakaway but it was too little too late to trouble the visitors, who go two points ahead of St Helens.
Darren Plant
