Wakefield 18-35 Catalans: Brayden Wiliame double sees Dragons home

Brayden Wiliame scored two tries against Wakefield

Brayden Wiliame scored twice as Catalans Dragons maintained their impressive recent form with a hard-fought win over Wakefield at the Mobile Rocket Stadium.

First-half tries from Greg Bird, Benjamin Julien, David Mead and Wiliame helped the Dragons into a 22-12 interval lead.

Wakefield scored through Justin Horo (two) and Tom Johnstone but they could not deny Steve McNamara's side a seventh win from their last nine Super League games as Wiliame completed his double and Fouad Yaha also went over.

The result lifted Catalans level on points with Wakefield, who led in the fifth minute when former Dragons second-rower Horo grounded a short grubber kick from Tyler Randell.

Liam Finn converted the try to make it 6-0 but the Dragons, buoyed by the intricate probing of in-form playmaker Josh Drinkwater, steadied themselves and fashioned an impressive response.

A period of pressure on Trinity's line saw Bird go close from Michael McIlorum's short pass before Julien was then denied on the next tackle.

Tom Johnstone gave Wakefield hope with a try late in the first half

Yet Catalans would not be denied and Bird collected a delightful pass from Drinkwater to surge through the Wakefield defence from close range.

Drinkwater's conversion levelled matters up at 6-6 but Wakefield should have regained the advantage when centre Reece Lyne embarked on a strong run inside the right channel.

He could have passed outside to winger Ben Jones-Bishop but opted to go for the line himself and was stopped a metre short.

Jones-Bishop then grounded a kick from Horo in the right corner but the winger fumbled in the act of scoring and no try was awarded.

Moments later, Catalans advanced upfield and second-rower Julien went over from close range before Drinkwater's second goal made it 12-6.

The Dragons began to dominate and two minutes later a fine kick from stand-off Samisoni Langi found centre Mead in the right corner and he pounced to score.

In the 31st minute, it got even better for McNamara as Wiliame collected possession and showed impressive speed and strength to break clear down the left flank and score a superb individual try.

Drinkwater's third goal made it 22-6 but Wakefield scored on the stroke of half-time when Johnstone latched onto Finn's kick on the left-hand touchline and raced down the flank to score.

Finn converted to make it 22-12 at the break and Horo then grabbed his second inside the right channel to cut the visitors' lead further in the 52nd minute.

That came after Lewis Tierney was sin-binned for tackling Johnstone in the air, but Wiliame grabbed his second from a kick by Yaha, who touched down himself late on.

Tony Gigot kicked a drop-goal while Drinkwater landed 10 points with the boot.