Saints crash in France

Catalans Dragons brought St Helens' winning run to an end with a 24-10 success in France.

Les Catalans beat an inexperienced Saints side in Perpignan last season and they took advantage of a number of injuries to Daniel Anderson's side to pick up the two points again.

Dimitri Pelo scored two of their four tries, while Remi Casty and Alex Chan also crossed and Thomas Bosc kicked four goals.

James Graham and Francis Meli touched down for St Helens, but after four straight wins they suffered their second Super League defeat of the season.

Pelo scored in the 34th and 44th minute and Bosc was in form with the boot to help the Dragons convert their slender 8-6 lead at half-time into a comprehensive victory.

Positive start

Saints began the match positively and almost capitalised after the Dragons were penalised for holding on when Leon Pryce put a high kick into the corner but Meli was unable to collect.

Mick Potter's side then posted the first two points of the game through Bosc when Saints were penalised for an infringement at the play the ball.

Saints responded and got a deserved try in the 26th minute when they took full advantage of a penalty deep in Dragons' territory.

Smith gained the yards and James Roby sent in Graham under the sticks and Smith eased home the conversion moments later.

The Perpignan side hit back though Pelo who took advantage of good work from Younes Khattabi and Jason Croker to go over in the corner while Bosc added the conversion from the touchline.

Adam Mogg went close for Saints early in the second half before a clever chip through to the corner took a lucky bounce for Pelo to notch up his second.

Casty score

Bosc was slightly wide with the conversion but Casty then extended the lead further in the 48th minute with a close-range effort and Bosc made it three from four with the boot.

Anderson's side hit back in the 56th minute with a well worked try from Meli.

Kyle Eastmond was held up inches from the line after a jinking run and from the resulting play, the ball was worked wide for Meli to go over in the corner although Smith kicked wide to miss the extra points.

In the 65th minute Pryce and Meli forced a goal-line drop out with some clever kicking but Saints were unable to find a way past the resilient Dragons defence.

And with seven minutes left Eastmond forced a drop out with a kick which caused some panic in the Catalans' defence.

From the restart, the ball was worked to Matt Gidley who looked to have squeezed the ball down in the corner under immense pressure but the video ref ruled he lost the ball in the tackle.

Les Catalans put the game out of range when Chan ran under the sticks in the 80th minute and Bosc added his fourth kick of the night.