Bruno Verges claimed a hat-trick as Catalans Dragons ran in nine tries to overpower Castleford for their third win in engage Super League.
Castleford had levelled the scores at 10-10 after a sluggish start but they were no match for the hosts after a Verges double late in the first half turned the game.
Mark Hughes and Jerome Guisset both touched down twice for the Dragons while there were further tries for Thomas Bosc and Justin Murphy.
Michael Dobson kicked 15 points while the Tigers' tries came from Michael Platt, Ben Roarty and Luke Dyer.
There was little sign of the wet weather which had blighted the rest of the weekend's Super League campaign but Castleford should have felt comfortable with the cool conditions in the Stade Domec.
Yet the match, originally scheduled for Figueres in Spain and the first taken 'on the road' by Perpignan-based Catalans, remained very much a Dragons home game and their large following were soon in good voice.
The Dragons took the lead after just two minutes as Chris Beattie powered forward and sent Bosc under posts with a deflected pass.
Cas tried to force their way back into the game but the French side absorbed the best they could offer in the first quarter, although Alex Chan was placed on report after an incident involving Danny Nutley.
Catalans broke to extend their lead after 22 minutes with Hughes applying the finishing touches to a Jamal Fakir pass after Julien Rinaldi had quickly regathered the ball.
The Tigers responded well with two quickfire tries, Platt diving over after Roarty had driven close to the line.
The scores were then levelled as Roarty raced onto a Ryan McGoldrick pass and shook off the attentions of Verges to touch down, Andy Kain converting.
Yet Verges more than made amends for his failure to stop Roarty as he hit Cas with two tries in the closing minutes of the half to give his side a 20-10 interval lead.
He jinked his way over on the left and then followed by sprinting down the touchline to finish off a lightning counter-attack.
Cas tried to force the pace early in the second half but again the home side held firm and forced hooker Andy Henderson to spill the ball in a promising position.
The visitors paid the price as Catalans went further ahead with another breakaway try.
Michael Shenton left the defence trailing as he broke from inside his own half and although he was stopped just short of the line, Renaud Gigue quickly put Hughes over for his second.
Dobson's third goal extended the lead to 26-10 but Dyer crossed on 56 minutes to maintain Tigers hopes.
It did not last long as Dobson sent over a drop goal and Murphy burrowed over from close range to put the game beyond doubt after 70 minutes.
A tiring Cas defence then conceded again just two minutes later as Chan broke and former Wigan and Warrington prop Guisset crashed over out wide.
Guisset raced through for his second just moments later and the game was well and truly up for the Tigers as Verges sneaked over in the corner to complete his hat-trick in the last minute.
Wakefield edged an exciting 11-try engage Super League derby at Belle Vue to leapfrog neighbours Castleford into eighth place in the table.
Castleford, with 38-year-old Brad Davis calling the shots on his comeback, enjoyed a dream start with two tries in the first six minutes but they paid the price for their defensive frailty.
The lead changed hands three times in the first half before the visitors crucially leaked two tries in four minutes just before the interval.
The defensive weaknesses of both sides were in evidence throughout and Castleford were the first to take advantage.
Centre Michael Shenton pounced on a grubber kick from Ryan McGoldrick which bounced in the Wakefield 20-metre area like a pinball to score the first try inside two minutes, and second row forward Richard Fletcher ran on to Davis' defence-splitting pass to grab the second.
Fletcher converted his own try, having missed with his first attempt, to make it 10-0 but Wakefield's response was swift and decisive.
Skilful halfbacks Jamie Rooney and Ben Jeffries combined to get second rower David Solomona over after 14 minutes, and five minutes later full-back Colum Halpenny supported a break by French international Olivier Elima to touch down.
Rooney added both goals to edge his side in front but the Tigers, who gave a debut to new signing Paul Franze, regained the lead on 27 minutes when left winger Wayne Pryce finished strongly at the corner.
As fortunes continued to ebb and flow, the lead changed hands again when 20-year-old centre Ryan Atkins, signed a week ago on loan from Bradford, spotted a gap and showed enough pace to get to the line.
And, when substitute prop Darrell Griffin plunged over from acting half back three minutes before the break, with Rooney kicking his fourth conversion, the lead was out to eight points.
Both sides tightened their defences after the break but Wakefield strengthened their grip on the game with a fifth try seven minutes after the break.
Scrum-half Jeffries ran a superb line to scythe through the Tigers defence and although Fletcher half stopped him, he could not complete the tackle and the little Australian wriggled his way to the line.
Rooney was off target for the first time, but at 28-16 the Wildcats were in firm control.
The home side made life extra difficult for themselves after 59 minutes when Jeffries was sin-binned for throwing the ball away, and Castleford scored two more tries while they were down to two men.
Winger Luke Dyer finished off a break by substitute Paul Handforth and four minutes later Deon Bird swooped on a Davis grubber kick to touch down.
Fletcher kicked one of the conversions to cut the gap to just two points, but pacy substitute Paul White steadied fraying nerves when he sliced through a tiring Tigers defence for a superb individual effort and Rooney kicked his fifth goal.
Wakefield coach Tony Smith was happy to settle for a below-par performance and collect the two points after the Wildcats edged past Castleford in an 11-try thriller at Belle Vue.
The Wildcats overcame a dreadful start in which they conceded two tries in the first six minutes and held off a spirited late fightback to continue their climb away from the foot of the table with a 34-26 victory.
"I have sat here five times this year and said we've played well and not got the points but now we've not played well but we've got the two points," said Smith.
"Our completion rate was poor and we need to find that killer instinct and finish teams off.
"Overall, it's pleasing to get the two points and now we'll get ready for Hull."
Castleford, with 38-year-old Brad Davis calling the shots on his comeback, enjoyed a dream start but paid the price for their defensive frailty, leaking three tries in a decisive 14-minute spell either side of half-time.
They trailed 28-16 at one stage but took advantage of the sin-binning of Wakefield scrum-half Ben Jeffries to cut the gap to just two points thanks to tries from Luke Dyer and Deon Bird.
But Wakefield had the final say when substitute Paul White cut through for a solo try six minutes from the end.
Tigers coach Terry Matterson, who turned to Davis following his side's 51-14 mauling by Catalans Dragons, was pleased with the display of the veteran Aussie and drew positives from the defeat.
"Brad was good, he got us around," said Matterson.
"We just came up with too many errors and gave away too many penalties.
"There were a lot of positives from the game and, if we had had that effort last week, we would have won."
Promoted Castleford's relegation fears deepened with an 11-try mauling by Warrington at The Jungle.
They slumped to a record home defeat after being totally outplayed by an impressive Wolves outfit.
Captain Lee Briers led Warrington's spree with a try and 10 goals. Centre Martin Gleeson and winger Henry Fa'afili both grabbed two touchdowns.
The Tigers were the first to threaten with 38-year-old scrum-half Brad Davis directing play.
But Warrington, with Briers behind most of their best work, soon took control. They went in front after six minutes when Fa'afili crossed at the corner after good work by Briers and Martin Gleeson. They should have scored again three minutes later but Brent Grose failed to take Michael Sullivan's pass with the line open. The Wolves then struck again when Fa'afili stretched Castleford's defence by regathering his own chip before Briers' crossfield kick resulted in Toa Kohe-Love scoring.
Briers added a touchline conversion and then put in a superb 40-20 to pave the way for substitute Jon Clarke to go over from Mike Wainwright's pass.
Trailing 16-0, the Tigers finally got a look-in when Willie Manu sent in full-back Michael Platt for a try that Ryan McGoldrick converted.
Davis' long pass then put Luke Dyer in at the corner but the effort was ruled out by the video referee.
Warrington, with Briers calling the shots, stretched their lead with two tries before half-time.
Martin Gleeson went over from Clarke's pass before Sullivan crossed direct from a scrum close to Castleford's line.
Briers kicked his fourth goal to make it 28-6 at halt-time.
The one-way traffic continued in the second half when Martin Gleeson collected his second after good work by Fa'afili.
Fa'afili then had a touchdown disallowed by the video referee before Briers got his try with a 40-yard interception after swooping on McGoldrick's pass.
Fa'afili got his second try before Warrington completed the rout with three tries in the last seven minutes from Paul Wood, Paul Rauhihi and Rob Parker.
Warrington coach Paul Cullen was delighted with his side's 11-try win at The Jungle which saw Castleford humbled 64-6.
Captain Lee Briers led Warrington's spree with a try and 10 goals. Centre Martin Gleeson and winger Henry Fa'afili both grabbed two touchdowns as the home side were completely outclassed.
A delighted Cullen said: "The confidence that has not been there in one or two games is on its way back.
"We have a habit of doing this over the Easter period, getting a touch up on Good Friday and bouncing back with a bit of style on Easter Monday. We also did it last year."
Cullen was full of praise for inspirational captain Lee Briers who returned to the side after missing Friday's home defeat against Salford through injury.
Cullen added: "Briers is a very smart player.
"It is not only his contribution with the ball in hand or ball on foot, it is the confidence he gives to other players. He invariably makes the right decision at the right time."
Castleford coach Terry Matterson offered no excuses for his side's dismal showing which leaves them worrying over a quick return to the National League after being promoted back to Super League last season.
Matterson said: "It was more embarrassing with the match being on TV.
"I did not see it coming. I thought we had a good preparation. It was undoubtedly the lowest point of our season so far.
"Last week against Catalan we created a lot of opportunities but today there was no resistance there at all."
anny McGuire scored his 100th Leeds try as the Rhinos inflicted Castleford's third defeat in a week.
McGuire has scored in every game he has played against the Tigers and he maintained that remarkable record with a superb solo effort midway through the second half.
The dazzling 23-year-old, back to his best after last season was blighted by injury problems, raced over after collecting his own chip kick to leave the visitors floundering.
It was his 15th try of the season and he looks a strong bet to finish the year as engage Super League's top try-scorer.
Former Leeds prop Danny Ward, making his first return to Headingley since being sacked in January, had to endure a miserable night.
The 25-year-old was a Grand Final winner in 2004 but is now battling to beat the drop with lowly Castleford.
And his ex-team-mates showed no mercy, racking up nine tries in a comprehensive win.
Matt Diskin and Keith Senior both crossed twice while Australian star Mark O'Neill finally made his Leeds debut after recovering from a shoulder injury picked up in pre-season.
The Tigers raced into a shock lead early on when full-back Michael Platt crossed from Ryan McGoldrick's well-timed pass.
But Leeds responded quickly when Gareth Ellis crashed over for his fourth try in five games and then Senior stormed through to put Leeds in front midway through the first half.
Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Richard Fa'aoso were dispatched to the sin-bin by referee Ronnie Laughton following an ugly flare-up during a first half in which Laughton awarded 14 penalties.
But Leeds kept their composure and extended their lead when Jamie Peacock barged over despite the attentions of three attempted tacklers.
Diskin's second-half double, alongside further efforts from Senior, Scott Donald and Ashley Gibson wrapped up the win.
Castleford staged a sensational recovery to grab an unlikely engage Super League success at The Jungle.
Fourth-placed Salford looked to be coasting to victory when they led 26-8 in the second half - but the lowly Tigers fought back magnificently to take the spoils.
Richard Fa'aoso sparked the Tigers' revival with a 63rd minute try, Danny Nutley and Gray Viane then went over before Willy Manu scored the winner six minutes from time.
Castleford were the first to threaten when loose forward Deon Bird was halted five yards short after a strong run.
They took a fourth minute lead when, after Salford were penalised for holding down, second rower Ben Roarty forced his way over from close range.
Johnny Wilshere rescued Salford by knocking the ball dead when Castleford's 38-year-old half-back Brad Davis put in a clever kick.
The Tigers were then stunned when Salford snatched an 11th-minute lead with a breakaway try when Luke Robinson's searing run was supported by Simon Finnigan, who went in for a touchdown that Wilshere converted.
Salford had a let off when Castleford's on-loan debutant Peter Lupton lost the ball close to the line attempting to pass to Bird.
Castleford's pressure finally paid off in the 24th minute when veteran Davis jinked through from close range for an unconverted try.
However, the lead did not last long because Salford soon replied with a 30-yard effort from Aaron Moule that Wilshere improved.
Skipper Nutley was tackled just short of the line as Castleford rallied strongly but they fell further behind four minutes before half-time when Wilshere went over at the corner.
The try was awarded despite a suspicion that he hit the corner flag before touching down.
Castleford's efforts to get back in the game in the second half were hampered by lack of composure as handling errors began to take their toll.
Salford went further ahead in the 54th minute when winger David Hodgson fielded Davis' kick in his own 22 and weaved his way through for a spectacular try that Wilshere goaled.
Castleford's Ryan McGoldrick was sin-binned for dissent two minutes later and Salford quickly capitalised when Bird fumbled Robinson's kick and Junior Langi scored.
The visitors looked to have the points in the bag at that stage but they were rocked as Castleford hauled themselves back.
Tries by Fa'aoso and Nutley and a Craig Huby conversion reduced Tigers' deficit to 26-16.
Viane then went over from close range and Huby kicked a touchline conversion to reduce the deficit to just two points - then came Manu's winner when he stormed over at the corner.
The Tigers weathered a late Salford onslaught to notch their first win in six matches and send Salford sliding to their third successive defeat.
Castleford coach Terry Matterson saluted second rower Willie Manu for his late match-winning try after the Tigers snatched a 28-26 engage Super League win over Salford City Reds at The Jungle.
Manu's touchdown six minutes from time capped a remarkable fightback by the lowly Tigers, who bounced back from 26-8 down.
Matterson said: "Manu's try was outstanding. It was a pretty special effort.
"At 26-8 down we put a few players on and got a little bit of momentum and Salford couldn't stop us in the end.
"It was a really good effort by our players.
"When we trailed 26-8 I did not think it was a true reflection of the game.
"When things are going tough the passes don't stick. We were near their line for a long time in the first half but we came in 16-8 down."
Salford coach Karl Harrison felt his side's recent tough fixtures caught up with them.
Harrison explained: "We didn't play well from the first minute of the game.
"I thought we were poor all day. We looked a very tired team.
"The three hard games last week took a lot out of us. We played Warrington, Leeds and Saints within seven days and that probably took more out of us than we thought.
"We played very flat but even so when we had such a big lead with 13 minutes to go we should have won the game. We got very tired towards the end.
"We kept gifting Castleford a lot of field position and in the end it hurt us. They played for the full 80 minutes and we didn't."
By Paul Kendrick, PA Sport
If Brian Noble was in any doubt as to the size of the task he faces to keep Wigan in the engage Super League, he must surely now have a pretty good idea after the Warriors slipped to a highly-damaging 30-24 defeat by Castleford at the JJB Stadium.
The game was a must-win for the Warriors as the Tigers, and effectively safety, stood four points ahead of them going into the game.
But, after two tries in quick succession from Michael Platt and Brad Davis saw the Tigers lead 22-12 at the interval, the Warriors could only muster a four-pointer from Nathan McAvoy and a last-gasp effort from Mickey Higham for all their second-half pressure, possession and highly-flattering penalty count.
With second-bottom Catalans Dragons out of the relegation equation, the Warriors have now been cast adrift at the bottom - and it is going to take every bit of Noble's undoubted coaching genius to prevent the most famous club in the game, complete with new signing for 2007 Trent Barrett, playing National League football next term.
The Tigers could not have got off to a better start when, after referee Karl Kirkpatrick awarded them a penalty in the opening set for ball-stealing, the outstanding Willie Manu put Platt through a gaping hole to score, with veteran Davis making no mistake with the conversion.
The Warriors were level within five minutes, though, as a clever kick from former Cas man Danny Orr fell into the grateful arms of Mark Calderwood to grab his first try of the season on his return from injury.
Danny Tickle converted from the touchline for 6-6, a vital kick given the next period of the game which was largely ruled by defence.
The Warriors were unable to take advantage of a 40-20 from Sean O'Loughlin, and they were made to pay when Viane got on the end of a flowing move from right to left to touch down, with Davis again adding the extras.
The Tigers were showing some excellent last-tackle options via the boot of Davis and Peter Lupton, although Wigan's back three of Chris Ashton, Calderwood and Pat Richards were proving up to the assault.
And, 12 minutes before the interval, the Warriors were level again, with Great Britain hooker Higham forcing his way over by the posts.
Calderwood was just stopped in the right-hand corner after youngster Darrell Goulding had shown great hands to hold on to a bullet pass from O'Loughlin, and when the ball was switched left Higham was too strong for Platt to reach over.
Richards converted with Tickle off the field to tie the scores again at 12-12. With half-time approaching the Tigers took the lead for the third time, although there was a hint of controversy to it.
Platt appeared to be held by three Warriors five yards short but, as the Wigan tacklers released the man, the Cas full back scooted over for the four-pointer.
Referee Kirkpatrick had clearly not called held and had no alternative but to award the try, but the home side were clearly not happy.
And their mood was not improved when the Tigers crossed again on the stroke of half time, when Davis this time could not be stopped, again down the Tigers left-hand side, for a try which Craig Huby converted to give his side a commanding 22-12 advantage.
The Warriors knew they had to get the first try of the second half, and they did just that with nine minutes of the second period gone.
Orr was stopped just short by tremendous cover defence, but Higham took the play the ball and McAvoy got his first try in a Wigan shirt.
Richards kicked the touchline conversion to narrow the gap to four points, but a horrible handling error from Bryn Hargreaves from the kick off handed the initiative back to the visitors.
And Paul Handforth reached over on the third tackle to push his side's lead out to 26-18, although Huby was wide with the kick.
The warriors were denied another response on the hour as great hands left saw McAvoy flying towards the corner only to be pushed into touch a yard short.
Wigan were denied again on 61 minutes when Calderwood was adjudged to have knocked on over the tryline as he and Pryce leapt for an Orr kick.
And the Tigers rubbed salt into the wounds with 15 minutes remaining when Manu showed great strength to finish off a try he helped to create in its infancy.
The Warriors struggled to hold on to the ball for much of what followed, although Iafeta Paleaaesina put Higham over on with two minutes left, with Richards converting, for some degree of home consolation - but not much.
For his part, Castleford coach Terry Matterson was obviously delighted with the win - his side's first on this ground since 1999.
He said: "We spoke about improving and we spoke about completing - it's been our biggest downfall all season - and we completed every set but three, which in this modern game is pretty astonishing.
"We've still got areas to improve defensively because at the end of the day they got 24 points, and I'd like to try to work on getting that down because our for and against is pretty poor.
"But it was a really good effort. I think everyone could see Wigan came to play today, and they really made us work hard. But we stuck with it and went over the top of them."
Matterson also dismissed the notion the win would help push the threat of relegation away from the ears of the players and staff of the Tigers.
He added: "I'm really not interested in the relegation or the staying alive. I'm interested in our performance and, if we give ourselves an opportunity to win games, eventually we're going to win them.
"If we keep concentrating on performances, the wins will come. You can look at the table and look at the opposition. But if we win and we do our job, we don't have to worry what Wakefield are doing or what Huddersfield are doing."
Castleford 18 Catalan Dragons 40
Les Catalans claimed their first
Super League victory in six attempts thanks to a three-try, six-minute burst
midway through the second half.
That spell broke the deadlock at 12-12 and set the Dragons on their way to just
their fourth win of the season - and reignited fears of relegation for the
Tigers.
John Wilson got the first of his hat-trick of tries as early as the fourth
minute, taking advantage of good field position set up by Michael Dobson's
40-20.
Cas lost veteran half-back Brad Davis to an arm injury and worse followed on 25
minutes when a neat handling move sent second rower Ian Hindmarsh crashing over,
with Dobson establishing a 12-0 lead.
But after Ben Roarty was stopped just short of the line, the Tigers roared back
in the 34th minute when substitute Gray Viane crossed and Ryan McGoldrick added
the extras.
When Roarty sent Viane over for his second try and McGoldrick levelled the
scores in the 42nd minute, Cas looked set to take control in front of a raucous
Jungle crowd.
But it was the visitors who scored next, Laurence Frayssinous chipping ahead and
Wilson racing clear to grab his second try.
Wilson's hat-trick try was almost an exact replica of his second, before Dobson
stretched the lead with a spectacular 70-metre burst.
Wilson then turned creator for Justin Murphy to score in the corner and Aurelien
Cologni finished off a dazzling six-man move as the Dragons sealed the contest.
Castleford did manage a last minute try from Danny Nutley, but in the
circumstances it was no consolation.