Dragons shine at the KC
Catalans Dragons' pursuit of the engage Super League top spot showed no signs of abating as they disposed of a wilting Hull side at the KC Stadium.
Last Updated: 06/07/08 7:20pm
Les Catalans remain hot on the heels of St Helens and Leeds in the race for Super League's top spot following a 30-18 win at Hull FC.
The Dragons followed up their hard-fought victory over Wakefield on Tuesday night with another impressive performance on their travels.
A seventh success on the road this year means Mick Potter's side are now just a point back of the top two going into the closing weeks of the regular season.
While the French side are looking up Hull are now facing a battle with Castleford, who defeated Hull KR earlier in the day, for the wooden spoon at the foot of the table.
Impressive half
The Airlie Birds never looked like upsetting the form book at the KC Stadium against an in-form Dragons side who led 18-0 and then 24-12.
Having stayed in England since their success at Belle Vue, Les Catalans looked fresh from the start, dominating the opening 40 minutes.
They were unlucky to only go in 12-0 up at the break, the first try coming after 12 minutes when Thomas Bosc's delayed pass sent Olivier Elima over.
Only a superb tackle from Gareth Raynor denied Justin Murphy soon after but the winger was not to be denied a second time before the break, skinning Shaun Berrigan and Kirk Yeaman to dive over the line.
Adam Mogg's ability to create an overlap from a scrum produced the score, the stand-off's combination with half-back partner Bosc, who converted both tries, the stunning feature of the first half.
Home comeback
Jamal Fakir rumbled over seven minutes after the break to extend Les Catalans' lead but the Airlie Birds refused to give in, replying with two scores of their own to raise hopes of a rousing comeback.
Garreth Carvell, booed by the home crowd after announcing earlier in the week that he wished to reverse his decision to sign a new three-year deal, scored the first and then hooker Berrigan darted over from dummy-half.
Danny Tickle converted both to cut the gap down to six points for all of three minutes as the Dragons replied through Gregory Mounis.
A Tom Briscoe effort from a Craig Hall kick set up a rousing finish and it wasn't until Clint Greenshields reeled in Bosc's bomb to grab the visitors' fifth try with three minutes to go that the points were certain to be heading back across the Channel.
