Round 13
Les Catalans Dragons 28 l. St Helens 32

2009 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Saints comeback to beat Catalans
Mon May 18, 2009
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

St Helens triumphed 32-28 to beat Catalans Dragons for the second consecutive week after mounting a second-half comeback in their engage Super League encounter at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.

The Saints moved back to the top of the table with the victory, which came hot on the heels of last weekend's triumph over Catalans at Knowsley Road in the Carnegie Challenge Cup.

The score was a crushing 42-8 on that occasion, but Mick Potter did not have such a comfortable ride against his former employers this time out, the French side having opened up a 22-10 lead by half-time.

The visitors were unstoppable after the break though and ran in three tries in 15 minutes without reply before surviving a late Catalans revival to wrap up a 32-28 win.

The hosts signalled their intent after just four minutes when Steven Bell crossed the Saints line and Thomas Bosc converted, and the Saints missed the chance to level on the quarter hour when Ade Gardner's try went unconverted.

The French side then extended their advantage when Bosc went over himself and kicked between the posts, but Paul Wellens responded with another try a minute later and this time Sean Long was accurate with the conversion.

The Saints could not halt their opponents' momentum though and Catalans hit back with two tries in four minutes, Bosc and Bell crossing once again, although the Frenchman was only able to convert his own effort.

Potter's charges looked to be in trouble but they exploded into life after the restart, Gardner adding his second try a minute in, Francis Meli crossing 10 minutes later and Leon Pryce getting his name on the scoresheet shortly after that, with Long accurately converting two out of the three.

Catalans refused to give up and gave the Saints a scare with seven minutes remaining when Adam Mogg crossed to put the French side ahead again.

But Gary Wheeler added a final try for the visitors to seal the victory and condemn Catalans to a fifth straight defeat.

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