Warrington consolidated their position in the engage Super League play-off places with a comfortable victory over Castleford at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Castleford took an early lead but Warrington replied with five first-half tries to establish a 26-6 half-time lead.

The visitors threatened a comeback in the second half but they were unable to keep out the Wolves, with Brent Grose scoring two of their eight tries.

Castleford took the lead through Michael Shenton in the eighth minute after a bright opening.

Ryan McGoldrick sent a grubber kick towards the right from 20 metres out, which was picked up by Waine Pryce, and although the Castleford wing was stopped short, he enabled Shenton to finish off.

Craig Huby added the extras but Warrington soon reduced the deficit, with Henry Fa'afili squeezing in at the corner in the 12th minute after the Wolves had worked the ball to the right wing.

Although Briers sent his kick wide, the home side managed to take the lead in the 20th minute after Castleford spilled possession 10 metres short of the Warrington line.

Replacement Simon Grix picked up the loose ball and took Warrington into the Castleford half, and although Martin Gleeson was then stopped short on the right, Briers sent Logan Swann over before kicking the Wolves into a 10-6 lead.

Briers then showed why there have been calls for him to be given a Great Britain call-up by helping the Wolves go clear with some majestic kicking.

First he chased his own chip over the Castleford line, and with the cover coming in, he chose to nudge the ball to Jon Clarke with his boot.

The Warrington hooker did well to gather and comfortably ran in his side's third try with 28 minutes on the clock.

Briers then punted the ball forward from 20 metres outside his own line and the ball fell perfectly for Richie Barnett, who had raced clear of the Castleford defence to run in a 35th-minute try.

Danny Sculthorpe, back after 10 weeks out with a broken thumb, was then penalised for a late charge on Briers and Grose strolled over on the left a minute before the interval.

Castleford reduced the arrears just three minutes after the restart with Shenton touching down McGoldrick's kick.

But the Tigers were unable to build on that and after conceding two penalties in quick succession in the 53rd minute, Grix sent Grose over for his second try.

Paul Wood forced his way over in the 56th minute to stretch Warrington's advantage, but the visitors then rallied once more.

Scrum-half Peter Lupton scored in the 62nd minute, and two minutes later, prop Danny Ward charged forward after Castleford stole the ball off Warrington and Deon Bird was in support to apply the finishing touch.

Briers kicked a penalty to put Warrington 40-28 in front before Sculthorpe bundled his way over in the 70th minute.

But any thoughts of a comeback were gone when Briers scored with eight minutes remaining after intercepting Sculthorpe's pass on halfway.