Castleford set for another comfortable victory over Wakefield

Betfred Super League
Sky Action, 7.30pm Friday

Castleford have totally dominated their recent derby dust-ups with Wakefield and the Tigers are a short price to make it ten wins on the spin against their neighbours at the Jungle.

And Trinity are on a miserable run of six losses in their last seven Betfred Super League outings.

The sole win in that sequence came against table-topping St Helens which shows Wakey are capable of surprises but Chris Chester’s team look up against it with captain Danny Kirmond, scrum-half Liam Finn and full-back Scott Grix all absent.

Cas are missing Ben Roberts, Alex Foster, Garry Lo and Nathan Massey but coach Daryl Powell is able to welcome back Jesse Sene-Lefao and Junior Moors.

The Tigers won last season’s two home meetings comprehensively 45-20 and 42-24 and overall the last four meetings on Tigers soil have resulted in a home win by an average of almost 23 points.

Cas should cover the ten-point handicap but it may be worth chancing a bet at bigger prices - namely backing the hosts to win by a margin of 16-25 points.

The Tigers will probably have to get the job done in the first half - they have a dismal second-stanza record having lost the second 40 minutes eight times in their ten outings.

The stats are similar in regards to scoring the last try which Cas have managed just twice this year.

Wakefield have done so seven times in 11 games and look decent value to have the final say.

Widnes look a terrific bet to stay within a 14-point buffer at home to Wigan.

Not for the first time, the Warriors are far from at full strength for a match on the artificial surface and their results since the grass pitch was replaced in 2012 are moderate.

Wigan have lost two, drawn one and won three (by one, two and seven points).

Widnes have beaten Leeds, Salford and Catalans on their own patch this season and, while they may not add the Warriors to that list, a close contest is entirely possible.

Third-placed Warrington are short-priced favourites to make it seven wins on the trot against struggling Huddersfield.

The Giants beat the Wolves 20-6 at home in February but have won only once since and the layers look right to pitch the handicap in the early twenties.

Recommendations
Castleford to win by 16-20 points
1pt 11-2 general
Castleford to win by 21-25 points
1pt 9-1 Betfair, Paddy Power
Wakefield to score last try
2pts 6-4 bet365
Widnes +14
4pts Evs Betfred

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