Hull completed their preparations for the new season with a win over Castleford, although it was only their second-half showing that allowed them to leave The Jungle with their credibility intact.

Having trailed 12-0 at the interval, Peter Sharp's men - in their only real warm-up ahead of next Sunday's curtain-raiser against Catalans Dragons - clicked into gear in the second period and with five tries showed glimpses of why they reached the Grand Final last season.

In contrast, Castleford ended 2006 amidst the despair of relegation, although for the first 40 minutes it was difficult to tell which was side which.

The Tigers played with a purpose that will please coach Terry Matterson ahead of their Northern Rail Cup opener at Doncaster next weekend, while the visitors appeared disjointed and certainly missed the guidance of Richard Horne (shoulder) and Richard Swain (flu).

Two tries, one at either end of the half, from Stuart Donlan and Dwayne Barker, both converted by Danny Brough, handed the Tigers their interval lead, as Hull - featuring four of their five winter signings - failed to settle.

In fact one of those recruits, Matt Sing, ended the half with four mistakes to his name.

After one handling error close to his own line, Castleford attacked and Donlan was able to cross after good work from Michael Shenton.

Barker's try also came down the left-hand side, with Hull's best efforts restricted to a Craig Hall try being ruled out owing to a forward pass from the impressive Paul Cooke.

Cooke was soon converting a try just a minute after the restart though, as Sharp's half-time words kicked in.

The stand-off's kick was fumbled in-goal by Tom Saxton allowing Danny Washbrook to drop on the loose ball and ground, narrowing the lead to six points.

Wayne Godwin, a former Castleford player, nearly levelled matters two minutes later when he was held just short of the line, although Tommy Lee did when he seized on Joe Westerman's poor kick to race 80 metres to the posts, with Cooke adding the conversion.

Scott Wheeldon's close-range effort after good work from Godwin edged Hull ahead for the first time, before Hall's break allowed Shaun Briscoe space to kick crossfield and send Richard Whiting in for the easiest of tries.

Sing then replicated Whiting by collecting Lee's kick to score and eradicate his first -alf woes, with Hall kicking the goal from the touchline.

Sharp made full use of his bench as the time elapsed, whilst ex-Hull man Kirk Dixon and Shenton added late consolations for the Tigers to add more than a sense of respectability to the scoreline.