The Super League team currently at the bar and taking a slurp from their glass in the ‘Last Chance Saloon’ are the London Broncos. The have travelled to the heat of the South of France to take on a Catalans Dragons who have an eye on a top five position and a play-off finish.
The Broncos had already beaten the Dragons in Perpignan and the home side took a big beating at London’s fellow strugglers the Leeds Rhinos last weekend. The bookies were favouring a home win but Danny Ward’s side knew that a win would keep them in touch with their fellow fighters to avoid the relegation spot.
The home side made a few changes in the pack after last weeks loss but London named the same starting thirteen who took the points on their last vist to the Stade Gilbert Brutus.
The Dragons put the kick off out on the full and then conceeded a quick penalty for a dangerous tackle so Kieran Dixon kicked a second minute penalty to put London ahead.
On ten minutes Ryan Morgan intercept a Catalans pass by pushing the ball into the air and catching before passing to Dixon who sprinted ninety metres downfield, outpacing the chasing Dragons defenders, and score in the corner. Dixon converted brilliantly from the touchline for 8-0.
London were more that worth their lead in the first half as they took the game to the Dragons and maintained their eight point lead until the interval.
Three minutes after the restart Brayden Wiliame found himself on a two man overlap to take a Tony Gigot pass to step over from ten metres to score a four pointer. Gigot was unable to add the extra two from wide.
David Mead was held up over the line on forty-nine as the Dragons laid seige to the London line. And on the next set a high tackle from Elliot Kear on Arthur Romano caused a bit of a ruckus but again London managed to repel the Dragons.
On fifty-one the Broncos got their second try of the game through Alex Walker who took a Rhys Williams inside pass to go through a gap and score. Dixon added the conversion for a ten point lead.
A Dixon penalty from forty metres put the visitors twelve points clear on the hour mark and it was looking like another senational win for the London Broncos.
A successful one-pointer from Brock Lamb, slipping the ball over from thirty metres out sealed the London win as the took a 17-4 lead on seventy minutes.
Greg Bird was sin-binned on seventy-six after a further coming together of players with the game petering out, much to the delight of the Broncos and their supporters.
A sensational win for the London Broncos which grabs them a lifeline for Super League survival. But an awful day at the office for a Dragons side who have imploded over the last couple of weeks to lose out to two of the relegation prospect sides. All credit to London, they played the game and won the victory, but the Dragons were awful, once again. London now face Leeds, Hull KR and Wakefield to decide their fate.
Dragons: Gigot, Mead, Romano, Wiliame (T), Tierney, Bird (SB on 76), Langi, Bousquet, Da Costa, Kasiano, Whitley, Garcia, Casty. Subs: Edwards, Albert, Maria, Simon.
Broncos: Walker (T), Dixon (T, 4G), Morgan, Kear, Williams, Abdull, Lamb, Battye, Cunningham, Krasniqi, Pitts. Lovell, Yates. Subs: Fozard, Gee, Hindmarsh, Armitage.
Referee: Liam Moore.
Half-Time: 0-8.
Full-Time: 4-17.
Attendance: .
