Round 23
Les Catalans Dragons 21 d. St Helens 0

2007 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Catalans shock St Helens on the eve of Cup Final
Mon August 13, 2007
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Catalans Dragons romped to a shock 21-0 victory against pace-setters St Helens, who wasted an opportunity to go clear at the top of the engage Super League in Perpignan.

Leeds drew level on points at the top of the table on Friday night but victory over the strugglers would have restored Saints' advantage.

Instead, they failed to get on the scoreboard in the rehearsal for the Challenge Cup final, with tries from Younes Khattabi, Justin Murphy, Jason Croker and Clint Greenshields securing the win for the hosts.

Saints made two changes for the match, adding Kyle Eastmond at stand-off and Jason Cayless returning to the forward line.

Jon Wilkin, who had deputised for Eastmond against Hull, returned to scrum-half.

Saints had a couple of early chances to open the scoring but they failed to provide the finish that was needed and Catalans nearly made them pay when skipper Stacey Jones made a dangerous break, but a forward pass interrupted the move.

The visitors had one more chance to break the deadlock before going behind but Willie Talau failed to seek out Francis Meli in space and the danger was averted.

A neat grubber kick from Jones played in Khattabi, who crossed to record the first try - and first points - of the match.

Talau, having one of his less inspiring days, then spurned a fine chance to send the sides into the break level as his hands let him down with the try-line calling.

Catalans were perhaps fortunate to escape unpunished after holding back Paul Wellens but things were going their way and when another kick from Jones played in Murphy, the latter's touchdown put daylight between the teams.

The third try came from Croker and owed much to some slack defending, Cayless missing a tackle and Talau unable to catch his man.

The outstanding Jones, who kicked two of his four goal attempts during the night, slotted home the extras.

Catalans had another score disallowed by the video referee but it was not over yet.

Greenshields claimed the fourth and final try before Jones added a drop goal to compound Saints' shock defeat.

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

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