Round 21
Les Catalans Dragons 32 d. Harlequins 26

2008 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Greenshields scores dramatic try to seal Catalans victory
Sun July 13, 2008
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Clint Greenshields scored a dramatic winning try after the final hooter to take Catalans Dragons back within a point of the engage Super League summit thanks to a 32-26 win over Harlequins.

Harlequins had looked like claiming a draw after a stunning fightback in rain-lashed Perpignan had wiped out the Dragons' 14-0 half-time lead.

The scores were locked at 20-20 with seven minutes remaining when Olivier Elima touched down for the home side, only for Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook to level again.

Catalans' Thomas Bosc appeared to have missed the chance to settle the game when his late drop-goal attempt barely threatened the posts.

But a fight broke out on the touchline as time ran out and referee Ashley Klein awarded the Dragons a penalty.

Taken after the hooter, Bosc kicked for touch and from the resulting play chipped over the defence for onrushing full-back Greenshields to settle a remarkable game with his second of the night.

It was a third heart-breakingly narrow loss to the Dragons for Quins this season but it kept the Frenchmen in striking distance of leaders St Helens and Leeds.

There was no hint of the drama to follow as Catalans completely dominated the first half.

They forced two drop-outs in the opening 10 minutes and then broke through as Casey McGuire went over from dummy half.

Quins struggled to gain a foothold but blew a chance to level the scores when Will Sharp had a try disallowed for a forward pass by Chad Randall.

A melee briefly broke out after Younes Khattabi was felled by a high tackle midway through the opening period.

Bosc kicked the resulting penalty after a delay of several minutes while the Dragons winger was carried off on a stretcher.

Catalans stepped up the pressure, with Jason Croker and McGuire combining well but Quins got back to cover.

An error by Danny Ward, however, gifted the Dragons another chance and powerful forward Alex Chan took full advantage as he barged past David Howell to touch down.

Bosc converted for a second time and Justin Murphy went close to a third try when he was bundled into touch.

Yet, despite spending most of the first half defending, Quins almost pulled one back just before the interval when Randall was stopped just short.

That move gave the visitors confidence and they finally registered early in the second period when Scott Hill touched down Henry Paul's kick.

After last week's thrashing by St Helens, it was the Londoners' first try in more than three halves of action and captain Rob Purdham duly added the extras.

It was the start of a purple patch that saw Quins turn the game on its head within eight minutes of the restart.

Another Purdham-converted try followed quickly as Tony Clubb intercepted a pass from McGuire and sprinted 70 metres to touch down.

The fightback continued as Hill provided the spark for a slick move down the left.

The Dragons missed an opportunity to clear as Howell passed back inside but full-back Rikki Sheriffe was alert as the ball went to ground and pounced to score.

Catalans slowly recovered from the shock of losing their lead and went back in front when Adam Mogg put Greenshields over for his first just before the hour.

Bosc's conversion gave the hosts a four-point advantage but that was almost immediately wiped out as Randall picked off a Mogg kick and won a race against Murphy to the line.

Purdham missed the conversion and was also off target with a long-range penalty attempt.

Catalans reclaimed the lead when a Bosc kick was deflected and Elima scored but McCarthy-Scarsbrook quickly responded.

Bosc fluffed a drop-goal attempt but the Dragons won it in a dramatic finale after a touchline fracas from which McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Mogg were sin-binned.

Report Source: www.superleague.co.uk

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