A Weller Hauraki-inspired comeback proved in vain for Castleford Tigers who fell to the bottom of the Super League table after going down 37-16 to Wakefield Wildcats on Friday.
Second-rower Hauraki was the catalyst for a second-half resurgence from the Tigers with three unanswered tries.
Jordan Thompson crashed over twice for the Tigers and Richard Owen also scored to offer hope after they went into halftime 25-0 down.
But the Wildcats, who had Tim Smith, Danny Kirmond, Peter Fox and Richard Mathers on the scoresheet in the first half, wrapped the game up late on with further tries from Fox and Lee Smith.
Earlier in the day, Huddersfield Giants missed the chance to reclaim top spot with a last-gasp 21-20 defeat to lowly Salford City with Marc Sneyd’s late drop goal proving the difference.
Rhys Hanbury crossed twice and Patrick Ah Van notched 18 points for Widnes Vikings as the strugglers got back to winning ways against Warrington Wolves, triumphing 38-22.
Meanwhile, two tries from David Hodgson saw Hull KR emerge from cross-city rivals Hull FC with the bragging rights and a 23-10 win.
Wigan moved back to the top of the table after winger Pat Richards’ double saw off arch rivals St Helens 28-16.
Richards, who recently surpassed 200 appearances for the Warriors since his move from Wests Tigers in 2006, scored either side of the break, the second of which halted the Saints’ second-half fightback.
On Thursday, Bradford centre Adrian Purtell scored his first try since recovering from a heart attack, helping the Bulls to an 18-18 draw against Leeds Rhinos in the process.
Purtell, a 2012 signing from Penrith Panthers, only returned to action earlier in March after suffering a heart attack in May last year and grabbed the Bulls’ first try of the evening at Headingley.
New Zealand international Zeb Taia grabbed two quickfire tries for Catalan Dragons who saw off London Broncos 30-24.