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Castleford 35 Halifax 34 (after golden point extra time): Fantastic Fax!
HALIFAX boss Matt Calland believes his side's sensational Challenge Cup performance at Castleford on Saturday night can help catapult them to Championship glory in 2009.
Fax held the Super League outfit to a 34-34 stalemate at the end of 80 minutes before losing to a long range Brent Sherwin drop goal after less than a minute of golden point extra time.
Calland was left to hail a "fantastic" team performance that saw Fax leading 34-30 inside the final 10 minutes after loose forward Bob Beswick completed a brilliant second half hat trick.
"I am so proud of the players," said Calland, who went into the game without prop Matt James after the on loan Bradford Bulls player was ruled out with an ankle injury.
"I didn't know it was golden point until I asked Mr Ganson. I thought it was 10 minutes each way and I think Cas did too.
"It was a great kick from Sherwin and we were just too tired to get enough pressure on him.
"There were a few sorry souls in the dressing room and I just said 'get your heads up because that's the best you've played all year.'
"We were playing a team that has won seven games in Super League this season and we could easily have won.
"Bob was terrific and Dana Wilson was unbelievable in the front row, but it's hard to pick people out.
"It was just a great team performance.
"This can be a massive springboard for us, a bit like the Melbourne game at the beginning of last season.
"We have raised the standard through the roof now and we need to try and maintain that.
"It's going to be hard to pick the players up over the next few days but I am sure we can do it.
"This is going to be terrific for us."
Tigers boss Terry Matterson was quick to praise Fax's "wonderful" attacking play, with Calland equally effusive after a high speed, end to end classic.
"It was two teams with very similar styles who like to attack," said Calland, whose side return to Championship action against Sheffield at the Shay next weekend.
"They have some really top class players - Sherwin, McGoldrick, Westerman - but we matched them for most of the game.
"The try we scored straight after half time through Dwayne Barker was unbelievably good and some of the offloads and support play in the second half was fantastic to watch."
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Weather for Halifax
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
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