Catalans Dragons claim a golden-point thriller over Wakefield Trinity

CATALANS DRAGONS 24 WAKEFIELD TRINITY 20
STEVE BRADY, Stade Gilbert Brutus, Saturday

WAKEFIELD took Catalans all the way in Perpignan but were just pipped in a golden-point thriller.

Coach Daryl Powell had been happy with his side’s 50 percent success rate so far in Super League and this competitive defeat at Stade Gilbert Brutus won’t knock the newly-promoted side’s ambitions to compete for the top six this season.

Trinity captain Mike McMeeken and winger Tom Johnstone were unable to halt their former Catalans team-mates, boosted by the return of Nick Cotric and Elliott Whitehead, from taking control from 18-8 behind at half-time.

Reimis Smith scored a rare extra-time try as the French club sent a clear message to the rest of the competition that they mean business this year.

A terrible start to the season has now been forgotten by the Dragons with a fifth win from the last six games and a second-half recovery.

Wakefield started the stronger when a scruffy-looking kick from scrum-half Mason Lino was collected by Josh Rourke, but an early score was denied when referee Aaron Moore spotted a knock-on over the line.

Moore’s brother Liam was called on as video referee to confirm the first try of the game, a tumble over the line by Max Jowitt in the 17th minute from a brilliant offload by Josh Griffin, as Jowitt added the conversion for a 6-0 lead.

Catalans lost winger Makinson to a failed head-injury assessment, Matthieu Laguerre filling in on the right flank, but he knocked-on with his first touch ten metres from his own line, keeping Wakefield on the front foot.

Trinity won a captain’s challenge close to Catalans’ line and from the first play, Liam Hood collected to cross between the posts from short range thanks to a Caleb Hamlin-Uele short pass, Jowitt adding his second conversion.

Home captain Ben Garcia got his side back in the game with a powerful hooker’s push over the line in the 33rd minute, converted by Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet.

The Dragons were depleted when stand-off Luke Keary was sin-binned for a high shot on Rourke, although the numbers were evened almost immediately when substitute Isaiah Vagana was yellow carded for a similar offence on Oliver Partington, Aispuro-Bichet landing the penalty for 8-12.

But Trinity finished the half in style with Griffin collecting from Renouf Atoni after an outrageous Lino offload and scampering under the posts as the hooter blew, Jowitt adding the conversion for a solid 18-8 lead at the interval.

Catalans muscled their way back in with a Tevita Satae barge to score three minutes into the second half, and Laguerre was next over the line on the wing but he had put a foot in touch before grounding.

It was the same result for Atoni who thought he had scored for Wakefield, but video ruled a double-movement before touching down.

Partington was the next to be turned down for a try with a knock-on spotted by video referral as the game became disjointed with constant stoppages for review.

Tariq Sims also suffered the video curse as Catalans put the visitors under increasing pressure, but there was no rerun when winger Cotric put Catalans ahead for the first time in the game with a dash over in the left corner and 19-year-old Aispuro-Bichet, with ice in his veins, converted from the touchline.

The game wasn’t done, however. The Dragons were penalised for offside two minutes from the end and Jowitt stroked over the penalty to equalise and take the game to golden-point.

Wakefield were dealt a quick blow when Lino went high on Aispuro-Bichet and was sin-binned.

That left Smith to make a blistering ten-metre dash to win the match, and while it of course went to video yet again, this time it was successful.

GAMESTAR: Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet looks to be a star in the making at just 19.

GAMEBREAKER: Reimis Smith’s late, late try broke Wakefield hearts.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Nick Cotric streaking over in the left corner eight minutes from the end.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet (Catalans)
2 pts Max Jowitt (Wakefield)
1 pt Luke Keary (Catalans)

MATCHFACTS
DRAGONS
26 Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet
2 Tommy Makinson
3 Matthieu Laguerre
4 Reimis Smith
5 Nick Cotric
6 Luke Keary
21 Théo Fages
8 Tevita Pangai Jr
9 Ben Garcia
10 Julian Bousquet
11 Tariq Sims
12 Elliott Whitehead
13 Oliver Partington
Subs (all used)
14 Alrix Da Costa
15 Tevita Satae
16 Romain Navarrete
17 Bayley Sironen
18th man (not used)
18 César Rougé
Also in 21-man squad
19 Paul Séguier
22 Fouad Yaha
24 Franck Maria

Tries: Garcia (31), Satae (43), Cotric (72), Smith (82)
Goals: Aispuro-Bichet 4/4
Sin bin: Keary (34) – high tackle

TRINITY
23 Josh Rourke
3 Cameron Scott
4 Corey Hall
19 Oliver Pratt
5 Tom Johnstone
1 Max Jowitt
20 Mason Lino
8 Mike McMeeken
9 Liam Hood
15 Caleb Hamlin-Uele
18 Isaiah Vagana
12 Josh Griffin
13 Jay Pitts
Subs (all used)
16 Renouf Atoni
21 Mathieu Cozza
28 Harvey Smith
31 Caius Faatali
18th man (not used)
25 Jack Croft
Also in 21-man squad
9 Liam Hood
11 Seth Nikotemo
30 Jayden Myers