Fourth placed Hull KR travelled to Castleford confident that they could continue one of their best starts to a season with every hope of a victory over the 10th placed Tigers, who still with just two wins and four points all season.

But the hosts at least started their search for the elusive third win under the direction of a permanent coach: Andy Last, the man who'd be in temporary charge of the team since the club and previous coach Lee Radford had parted ways by mutual consent.

But could the appointment change the team's fortunes against a team fresh off an impressive win over St Helens. 

Rovers kicked off to a Tigers team playing in their third strip - a copy of the 1986 strip they beat KR in at at the '86 Wembley Cup Final – because the primarily black home strip was too close to the Robins' blue away strip. 

In their second set, they came up field into Rovers' 10m and got across the goal line but were held up under the posts.

Last's appointment might not be the traditional new coach change that traditionally leads to shock win, given that he's been in charge for most of the season so far, but the Tigers were playing a lot freer than they have so far and dominated the opening 10 minutes.

With nine and a half minutes played, half back Jacob Miller kicked high toward the posts, Jordan Turner  beat two KR defenders and batted the ball back. Miller raced to collect it and continued his run to dot down under the posts. Paul McShane converted for a 6-0 lead.

Rovers pressed hard to get a try in return - their closest chance coming when Ryan Hall looked to have successfully run on and grounded a loose ball in the 19th minute.

But Rich Hall in defence did enough to get get to it first and knock it into Hall, where video ref Chris Kendall spotted a separation as the winger failed to get the ball under control. 

No try was the ruling.

Emotions were escaping control as well, and after the Tigers conceded successive penalties Liam Watts found himself in the sin bin for 10 minutes with 26 played. Castleford now had to spend the next period of play a man down.

They managed the period of reduced numbers well until Watts returned to the field, even though they lost influential hooker and captain Paul McShane who went straight to the touchline for a head injury assessesment after a clash, and didn't return for the rest of the half.

Jordan Abdull also went for an HIA at the same time, but from a separate incident.

The hosts dominated the half, but went into the dressing rooms with only a narrow lead on the scoreboard.

The game restarted with both Abdull and McShane back on the field after passing their HIAs.

KR pressed and though it took them  nearly eight minutes to get a successful break, it came when Corey Hall received the ball and ran round the end of the Castleford defence to score. Lachlane Coote's conversion levelled the score at 6-6

The Tigers had been here in other games where they opened the scoring and the question was whether they could bounce back. But a clumsy tackle on Joe Western saw him laid out and play stopped until the doctor led him off for an HIA. He was immediately ruled out from playing any further part in the game.

Rovers started to dominate play, but 17 minutes into the half Cas found themselves in possession in front of the Rovers' posts and Miller dropped a goal to give the Tigers another, even narrower, lead

A couple of minutes later, however, the Robins got possession from in the Tigers' red zone and Matt Parcell ran over for a try. Coote converted and  the Rovers confirmed their first lead of the game at 7-12.

Both teams pressed for scoring opportunities in the following period - but without a points reward as the game approached its final 10 minutes. 

Then Coote left the field for another HIA after a clash with Jake Miller as the Rovers full back returned a high kick.

With Coote off the field, Sean Kenny-Dowall stood in at full back and spilled the next high kick from Cas. But however many chances they were offered, the home team could not take advantage and get over the line.

The game wound down in a scrappy finish without addition to the score from either side. Castleford looked like they'd got a boost with the coaching position settled - at least in the first 40 – but not enough of one to change the story of the season so far.

Hull KR though notched up their fifth victory in a row - for the first time in a decade – and looked like a team settling into a habit of success.

Half Time: 6-0.

Full Time: 7-12.

Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0. HT. 6-4, 6-6, 7-6 7-10, 7-12.

Lead Exchanges: Castleford, Level, Castleford, Hull KR.

Castleford Tigers: Eden; Faramo, Mellor, Turner, Fonua; Broadbent, Miller (T, DG); Lawler, McShane (Goal), Griffin, Milner, Edwards, Westerman. Subs: Matagi, Hall, Watts (SB 26m), Westeraman. 18th Man: Johnson.

Hull Kingston Rovers: Coote (G); Kenny-Dowall, Opacic, C Hall (T), R Hall; Lewis, Abdull; Kennedy, Parcell (T), King, Batchelor, Linnett, Minchella. Subs: Littel, Hadley, Storton, Luckley. 18th Man: Aydin.

Referee: Marcus Griffiths