Despite having a week off, Castleford returned to Yorkshire Three with a much changed side through injury and non availability.
However, the understrength side put in another excellent defensive display to stave off a late, spirited Medics revival and leapfrog them in the league.
Castleford started like a train and a slick crossfield move ended with winger, Brandon Hudson crossing in the corner only to see the referee signal forward pass.
However, Castleford soon posted the first points when second rower Gareth Peters stole the ball ten metres out to charge over for the try. Scrum half, Ian Mattison added the conversion.
The ball was reclaimed from the restart. Powerful runs up field from skipper, Jamie Owens and back rowers, Chris Nevison and Karl Del Rosario resulted in an offside penalty. Mattison's long touch finder put the home side deep into Sheffield territory. Second rower, Jensen Parkin leapt like a salmon to take the line ball and slick cross field passing resulted in a try for Hudson who latched onto a pin-point, missed, long pass from centre, Mikey Firth before racing near the posts. Mattison's conversion put Castleford fourteen points ahead.
To their credit, the Medics countered with some enterprising open rugby before catching Castleford offside. The resulting lineout was taken and the pack formed a rolling maul which cohesively drove over for the try with hooker, Aiden Godden emerging with the ball. Scrum half, Ben Aves added the conversion.
Castleford stretched their lead near the end of the first half, when centre Firth broke clear to give fellow centre, Steve Parkinson a clear run through and over for the 19-7 interval score.
For the first quarter of the second half both cancelled each other out, before Nevison powered through with more drives towards the line to set position fifteen metres out. Mattison sent the ball wide and Parkinson stretched over for his second try and the bonus point.
Castleford appeared to be coasting but were quickly brought back down to earth as the visitors clicked up a gear to put the home side under consistent pressure for the final fifteen minutes.
A penalty for offside took play to within ten metres. Back rower, Joe Patmore gathered the line ball and broke through the line before diving over for the score,
From the restart the Medics continued their rampaging attack and the Castleford defensive line had to dig deep to repel over twenty last ditch tackles before their line was finally breeched in the final minute when winger, Arin Pakdemir crossed in the corner. The conversion would have given the students a bonus point but it hit the crossbar before bouncing back infield.
Tiring Castleford made it to the final whistle to post a well-earned victory.