Catalans 6-30 Leigh: Centurions earn crucial victory over Dragons in style
By Michael Cantillon
Last Updated: 21/08/17 9:20am
Leigh Centurions secured a vital 30-6 victory against Catalans Dragons in Perpignan on Saturday, putting the French side in danger of having to play the Million Pound Game.
The Centurions put last week's defeat to Hull KR well and truly behind them as tries from Adam Higson (2), Josh Drinkwater and Cory Paterson (2) saw them home.
The Dragons lost Paul Aiton to injury after just two minutes and though they scored a late try through Brayden Wiliame, were comprehensively outplayed.
After a week off, Catalans travel to face Halifax while Leigh host Widnes.
The Dragons suffered an awful start to the contest as hooker Aiton was lost to injury, and a minute after he left the pitch the Centurions took the lead after some calamitous defending.
Drinkwater sent up a high kick which was allowed to bounce by the Catalans defence, before Samisoni Langi flicked it back on the dead-ball line for Higson to score.
Higson grabbed his second of the game after 19 minutes when a flowing passing move saw Greg McNally play him in to finish in the corner.
Seven minutes from the break the Dragons spurned their clearest opening as Krisnan Inu knocked on in front of the try line, meaning the Centurions went in at the break 10-0 ahead.
Just over five minutes into the second period Leigh scored their third try as Langi once again created a score: this time rising brilliantly to knock a high ball back into the grasp of Paterson who had a free run to the try-line.
The match was effectively sealed just after the hour mark as Drinkwater made use of a stroke of good fortune with Daniel Mortimer's probing grubber kick hitting the base of the post and landing invitingly for him to touch down. With Reynolds' conversion, the score was 24-0.
Wiliame ensured the Dragons were spared the humiliation of being nilled at home for the first time in Super League when he struck with 10 minutes to go, collecting Julian Bousquet's offload to dive over.
Paterson added gloss to the victory when he claimed Inu's kick and sprinted 80 metres to go over in the corner and round off a fabulous display and result.
