Catalans Dragons earn first away win of the season at Wakefield
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 06/03/16 5:42pm
Catalans Dragons started and finished impressively to collect their first away win of the First Utility Super League season.
Full-back Tony Gigot scored two of the Dragons' eight tries in their 42-28 win over Wakefield at Belle Vue, a ground where they gained just one of two victories on the road in 2015.
The Catalans made a spectacular start, scoring at a point a minute as they racked up a 26-0 lead, but were forced to withstand a brave fightback before finding their second wind and eventually running out comfortable winners.
The return of captain and prop forward Remi Casty from an eight-month injury lay-off enabled Dragons coach Laurent Frayssinous to field a virtually full strength team lacking only hooker Paul Aiton.
They looked a class apart from the moment Todd Carney's inch-perfect pass got centre Krisnan Inu into a half gap and he sent winger Jodie Broughton over for his first try for the club after only five minutes.
The French side showed it was not all about power, though, as Dave Taylor conjured up a neat grubber kick for centre Vincent Duport to score their second try while veteran winger Pat Richards plucked Carney's towering kick out of the air for a third.
Loose forward Jason Baitieri then forced his way over from close range and Carney's short pass got second rower Glenn Stewart through a gap to score the visitors' fifth try on 25 minutes, by which point they led 26-0.
In serious danger of acute embarrassment, the Wildcats rallied in the final 10 minutes of the first half and added some respectability to the scoreboard when impressive back rower Anthony Tupou went over for a try before carving out a second for centre Joe Arundel.
Liam Finn converted both to make it 26-12 at the break and their revival continued in the second half with two further tries in a seven-minute spell.
Wakefield regained possession from Jacob Miller's grubber kick on the last tackle and the stand-off provided the final pass for winger Reece Lyne to touch down in the right corner while left winger Tom Johnstone leapt skyward to touch down Finn's high kick.
Finn took his goal tally to four from five attempts as the Wildcats cut their visitors' lead to just four points but the return of Taylor from the bench helped turn the tide once more.
He was heavily involved in the build-up for the Catalans' sixth try scored by scrum-half Richie Myler on 51 minutes and when full-back Gigot went over six minutes later the advantage was back up to 14 points.
And Gigot put the result beyond doubt on 67 minutes when he supported a break by Myler to score his second try and Richards kicked his fifth goal.
Wakefield finished a well-beaten side but they at least had the final say when a couple of strong surges from lively winger Tom Johnstone created the position for former Catalans forward Mickael Simon to crash over for their fifth try.
