WARRINGTON Wolves Reserves’ season ended with a narrow defeat.

The Wire fell 30-28 at Castleford Tigers but they have claimed a top-four finish for their season’s efforts.

Arron Lindop, who has broken into the first team this season, was among the try scorers, while Cai Taylor-Wray finished the season as the side’s top try scorer with 13 in eight appearances.

Wolves Reserves head coach Ryan O’Brien said: “It was a disappointing way to end our reserve grade season – I don’t think we played particularly well, but we still created plenty of opportunities to score and Castleford deserve a lot of credit for their desperation and scramble defence.

“Despite that performance and result, I am really proud of our progress this year and have no doubt that the changes we have made to the programme will stand the club in good stead for years to come.”

Warrington’s other try scorers were Ewan Smith, James Duffy, Sam Marshall, Frank Sergent and Daniel Regan, who also landed one goal to go with the one conversion from Sergent.

Max Wood, Tom Whitehead and Nolan Tupaea, who have also had time in the first team in 2024, featured against Cas, who opened the scoring in the fourth minute when hooker Alfie Horwell found prop forward Brad Martin and he crashed over at the left of the posts from close range. Stand-off Mitchell Beedle converted.

Wolves responded nine minutes later when a fine high cross-field kick from scrum-half Adam Whalley saw winger Sergent outjump his opposite number and knock the ball back to centre Smith who rounded the cover to score on the right.

Just after the midway point of the half Tigers prop forward Mike Ward brushed off three attempted tacklers to power over at the side of the posts. Beedle converted.

Just before the half hour mark Wolves second row Stephen Antrobus gave a lovely offload in the tackle to hooker Ben Hartill and his long ball found winger Duffy who acrobatically squeezed over in the left corner.

Six minutes before half time Wolves hit the front for the first time when good work from Whalley found second-row Tupaea who was held just short but from a quick play-the-ball Hartill found substitute Sam Marshall who stretched out brilliantly to score at the side of the posts. Sergent added the conversion to give his side a narrow 14-12 interval advantage.

Two minutes into the second half a great 40-metre break down the middle by Tigers winger Leroy Ncube split the Wolves defence and he found full-back Fletcher Rooney in support to race over between the posts. Beedle converted.

Eight minutes later brilliant play from Wolves saw the ball go from right to left and back again through eight pairs of hands before reaching Sergent who stepped back inside to score wide out on the right and level matters at 18-18.

Shortly afterwards quick hands from Whalley and full-back Flynn Holden saw the ball reach centre Lindop who used his strength to power over wide out on the left.

Soon after the hour mark a penalty for Castleford 10 metres out paid off as centre Corey Hall was held just short but a quick play-the-ball found Martin Ward who scored at the right of the posts. Beedle added the conversion to edge his side back in front.

Shortly afterwards Tigers substitute Max Brown broke clear down the left and managed to stretch out and score in the left corner. Beedle converted from the touchline to give his side an eight point cushion.

Wolves ensured it would be a nervy ending when prop forward Bobby Shingler was brought down just short but from the play-the-ball Hartill passed to stand-off Regan and he stepped round the cover to score at the side of the posts and he also added the conversion.

With virtually the last play of the game Wolves thought they had snatched the win when substitute Logan Raughter looked to have scored but the referee ruled that he had been held up.

Wolves: Flynn Holden; Frank Sergent, Ewan Smith, Arron Lindop, James Duffy; Daniel Regan, Adam Whalley; Max Wood, Ben Hartill, Bobby Shingler, Stephen Antrobus, Nolan Tupaea, Tom Whitehead. Subs: Charlie Walker, Sam Marshall, Noah High, Logan Raughter. 18th man: Joe Bajer.