Arjun Mehra's 84th-minute winner: Castleford edge Riverton 2-1 as Delveccio's substitution pays off

Castleford United beat Riverton Athletic 2-1 at Harbourline Stadium on Saturday night, with 20-year-old academy graduate Arjun Mehra scoring the winner in the 84th minute. Diego Marques had given Castleford a 23rd-minute lead after a patient passing move, and Tobias Krug equalised for Riverton on 61 minutes following Elias Ben Said's cross. The decisive moment came from a four-pass sequence that ended with captain Luca Ferrante slipping the ball between Riverton's defensive lines; Mehra took one touch, shifted the defender and finished low with his left foot. Castleford held 54 percent possession and out-shot Riverton 14-11, with an expected goals figure of 1.87 against 1.34. The hosts took eight of their 14 shots after half-time, a reversal of last season's pattern of retreating after conceding. Riverton's equaliser came during their strongest spell, after coach Erik Lindholm replaced a defensive midfielder with a second winger, but that change left them exposed in the final 20 minutes. Coach Marco Delveccio's 70th-minute substitution — a tiring winger off, a young midfielder on — freed Ferrante to push forward and closed Riverton's central passing lanes. Delveccio confirmed after the match that the final-20-minute plan had been rehearsed twice during the week. Lindholm blamed the defeat on defensive transition and admitted his side must improve its game management, noting it was the fourth time this season they had conceded after the 80th minute; they have now conceded six goals in that window, the most among the league's top eight clubs. Ferrante finished with 92 passes at 89 percent accuracy, gave three key passes and made eight recoveries. Goalkeeper Noa Bergman made two crucial saves, in the 39th and 88th minutes. Castleford's centre-back, at fault for the equaliser, was withdrawn on 78 minutes with a hamstring strain and is awaiting scan results. The win leaves Castleford fourth on 26 points from 14 matches, unbeaten at home this season, three points behind the leaders. Riverton drop to seventh on 22 points. Castleford play a cup tie on Wednesday, where rotation is expected and Mehra may be rested. Delveccio also acknowledged that the club's recruitment model is shifting toward giving academy players a shorter route to the first team — four of Castleford's 11 league goals this season have come from academy graduates.