Castleford Tigers delivered a stunning performance on Sunday, defeating Wigan Warriors 24-14 to climb off the bottom of the Super League table in dramatic fashion.
In a match that defied expectations, the visitors dominated much of the 80 minutes, securing their first win against Wigan in nearly nine years. The victory marked a significant turnaround for Castleford, who had lost 14 consecutive meetings against their rivals prior to this clash.
The Tigers kept up the momentum as George Lawler went over as they saw out a memorable win which lifted them to 11th in the table.
Castleford struck first within five minutes when Krystian Mapapalangi touched down after exchanging passes with Jason Qareqare. Wigan responded with two impressive tries—first through Dayon Sambou's acrobatic finish and then via Zach Eckersley's score—to take a 14-6 lead into halftime.
However, the second half belonged entirely to Castleford. Jack Ashworth spun to the line after a clever pass from Tom Weaver, and Mapapalangi added his second try of the afternoon with a spectacular chase of his own kick. George Lawler then powered over to seal the victory, though Weaver had a late score disallowed for obstruction.
The result represents Wigan's third consecutive Super League defeat and comes as they were missing key players including Harry Smith and Sam Walters through suspension, plus injured front rower Ethan Havard.
For Castleford, this performance signals a potential turning point in their season, demonstrating resilience and attacking flair against one of the league's traditional powerhouses.