Catalans Dragons were the Saturday afternoon hosts for the second week running as they hosted the Warrington Wolves for a Super League Round Four game as the home side looked to maintain their one hundred percent record against a side looking for their second win of the season.
The Dragons were fancied by the bookies but only by a narrow margin, Warrington were given just a two-point start on the coupon and the stage was set for a battle royal in the south of France sunshine.
Blake Austin was axed from the Warrington side after their draw last week, the Dragons full of confidence after a big win last weekend against the Salford Red Devils and extending a three year winning streak against the Wolves in Perpignan.
The Dragons had the best of the opening exchanges as Warrington struggled to get any kind of foothold. The opening two points came from the boot of James Maloney after the Wolves defence were offside twenty metres from their own sticks.
The Dragons should have grabbed a four pointer on seventeen, but Fouad Yaha put in a poor kick inside when it was a two on one advantage. The Dragons forced a drop-out but after laying siege to the Wolves line for a second set of six, the defence held strong and kept them out.
It was turning into an end-to-end encounter but an awful mistake from Ben Currie, unable to pull in the pass from Toby King, allowed Maloney to pick up a loose ball and walk in for a simple try. The video referee checked but there was no problem.
A terrific Daryl Clark scoot and break, found Ben Currie in support to go forty metres to dab down under the sticks on thirty-three. Stefan Ratchford added the extras and from nowhere there were only two points between the sides.
Warrington hit the front with just over two minutes remaining when a Widdop high kick was collected by Toby King as the Dragons defence flapped and the Wolves centre had just to drop over the line for the score. Ratchford added the conversion for a 12-8 lead to the Wolves at half time, when they had been 8-0 behind on thirty-three.
The lead was extended on forty-two when a Sam Tomkins pass was intercepted by Jake Mamo just two from his own line and the Wolves centre went the length of the field to score in the corner without a Catalans player getting anywhere near him. Ratchford added the conversion for 18-8.
The game was won on sixty-five after a great bit of individual skill from Gareth Widdop when he took a Currie tap back and weaved his way through the broken Dragons defence to score fifteen metres from the left upright. Ratchford added the conversion for 24-8.
This was a great win for Warrington who only arrived in France a couple of hours before kick-off and who left for the airport on the final hooter. It was two precious points which ended the Dragons terrific start to the season and knocked them down to fifth in the table.
Catalans Dragons: Tomkins S, Yaha, Langi, Whare, Davies, Drinkwater, Maloney (T, 2G), Bousquet, Da Costa, Dudson, Whitley, McMeeken, Garcia. Subs: McIlorum, Seguier, Baitieri, Kasiano.
Warrington Wolves: Ashton, Thewlis, Mamo (T), King (T), Charnley, Ratchford (3G), Widdop (T), Hill, Clark D, Cooper, Currie (T), Hughes, Davis. Subs: Clark J, Philbin, Mulhern, Walker.
Half-Time: 8-12.
Full-Time: 8-24.
Referee: Liam Moore.
Score Progression: 2-0, 6-0, 8-0, 8-4, 8-6, 8-10, 8-12 : HT : 8-16, 8-18, 8-22, 8-24 : FT.
