Castleford Tigers 18 Salford Red Devils 70: Daryl Powell 'proud' despite heavy Super League loss

Brad Martin scores Tigers' second try. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.

Coach Daryl Powell was upbeat after seeing his second-string side crushed 70-18 by Salford Red Devils in Castleford Tigers’ last game before Wembley.

Powell rested most of his big guns ahead of Saturday’s Betfred Challenge Cup final against St Helens.

Five teenagers made their debut and the team boss felt they performed well under difficult circumstances.

Powell insisted Tigers should not have been made to play six days before Wembley, a decision which was based on them being in action the previous Tuesday - in a match which was cancelled because opponents Huddersfield Giants could not raise a team.

Cheyse Blair on the attack for Tigers. Picture by Jonathan Gawthorpe.

“We gave two points up,” Powell admitted of his side’s fifth successive home defeat.

“But the upside was five players got an opportunity they wouldn’t normally have got and they will have learned a lot.”

Castleford Tigers 18 Salford Red Devils: Youngsters battle bravely in Super Leag...

Tigers scored three tries, but conceded 12 and the coach added: “It was a pretty big scoreline against us, but there were loads of positives.

“Five debutants is not something you would normally do, but we’ve got a pretty big game on Saturday.

“This season has thrown up a really crazy fixture list and there’s no way I am going to put most of our players for the Challenge Cup final into a game six days before.

“It doesn’t make any sense, so I made that decision and I thought the young players were great.

“They found it tough, which is obvious, but we either had young players out there or players who haven’t played for one, two or three months.