TONY Smith was left to mull over a second defeat in four days, as Castleford put the boot into his Warrington side.

A clinical second half display saw Cas run four tries past weary Wolves to turn a 6-0 half-time lead into a comfortable 28-6 win.

Head of coaching and rugby Smith admitted Tigers had done enough to deserve the win and highlighted their kicking game as a decisive factor.

While Cas scrum half Brent Sherwin was deadly with his boot, Wolves missed their best kicker in open play, Lee Briers, for the second game running and the gap between the sides was clear.

Smith said: “I thought both teams were very similar for long parts of the game but Cas were able to lift themselves a few times and took some opportunities.

“As the first half showed, there wasn't much between the two teams.

“It was tough, it was one of those games when both teams had played two days ago and they were flat.

“All credit to Cas, they were able to lift and came up with a few special plays.

“I thought their kicking game was very good and I thought it was the difference in the game really. Their kicking game was able to get them on the front foot on a couple of occasions.”

Smith believes fatigue also played a major part in his side’s second straight defeat.

After going 6-0 down late in the first half, Wolves were always chasing the game and, according to Smith, eventually ran out of steam.

He said: “As the game went on, we didn't play the smartest, trying to catch the game. It's not a weekend when you want to get behind, when your energy levels are already not at their highest before you kick off.

“Unfortunately we got ourselves in a position where we were chasing the game and you don't make as many good decisions when that happens.

“There were a couple of tackles missed as the game went on but that's fatigue, that's what happens when you're on the back foot and play close games.

“Your confidence goes down and your decision-making isn't as good but we've got to learn from those sorts of things and we will.

“We went through a few good games where we won some and we've had two days where we haven't. It was the narrowest of margins for one of them and for the majority of the other it was very tight as well.

“Fatigue got us. A bit of that might be mental, a bit of that might be physical.

“It's not the end of the world. We'll shape up again for Friday’s trip to Bradford and try and pick up some points.”