Without a shadow of doubt, the game of the round in Super League was the top of the table clash between St Helens and the Catalans Dragons at a floodlit and rain drenched Totally Wicked Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
A win for the visitors would put them almost out of sight on 94.11 win percent, with Saints down to 78.57, but a home win would put Saints on 85.71 percent while the Dragons would drop down to 88.24, and it would be all to play for over the closing rounds.
The bookies had made Saints big favourites to for the win and had given the Dragons an eight point start on the coupon, mainly due to the number of first-teamers that weren’t available to Steve McNamara for selection, but this is a different Catalans side and one with the potential to go all the way to Old Trafford and get their name on the games ultimate prize.
Good early pressure from St Helens paid out on three minutes with Tommy Makinson finding plenty of space down the right wing to run five metres off a looping Jonny Lomax pass and dive in at the corner. Lachlan Coote added the touchline conversion for the best possible home start.
On eight minutes the lead was doubled with Lewis Dodd dribbling forwards a loose ball before collecting the ball as he crossed the line and grounding before sliding dead in goal. Cootes second conversion was much easier than his first and he made no mistake for 12-0.
Shocking Dragons defence on sixteen allowed a fleet of foot Regan Grace to dance between them from ten metres out, dipping the right shoulder and running the angle to improve the kick for Coote who obliged with his third conversion of the afternoon.
After a slow start the visitors opened their account on twenty-three when Matthieu Laguerre threw a dummy, bought by Makinson, to scamper through the gap he’d created himself. James Maloney added the conversion, the Dragons back within two converted scores.
A high tackle from Luke Thompson on a falling Cesar Rouge got both sides excited with plenty of pushing and shoving and on thirty-four, a just on the field substitute, Joe Chan was sin-binned for a taking a man off the ball, allowing Coote to kick a simple penalty goal from the shadow of the uprights.
On fifty Saints extended their lead when Batchelor chased a Lomax grubber kick to drop on the ball in goal and ground cleanly as the kicker stood aside and allowed him to score. Coote added the conversion for 26-6, Saints now cruising to an important win.
Sione Mata’utia was sin-binned for a late tackle on fifty-three, Benjamin Jullien the victim who was assisted from the field clutching his shoulder. Within a minute Mickael Goudemand took full advantage of the penalty as he took the pass close to the line and dove over under the crossbar. Maloney added the conversion for 12-26.
On fifty-seven the Dragons lost Paul Seguir to injury, the visitors down to a single substitute and within a minute a high tackle by Da Costa gave Coote another two pointer for 28-12.
Lachlan Coote added a try to his six goals when he was on hand to take a pass from Dodd and go three metres to dive over. He added the extras to his own try for a final score of 34-12.
Saints never looked in danger of losing this game against an understrength Catalans Dragons side and the comprehensive victory reduced the gap between the sides, the Dragons now only marginally ahead on win percentage. Steve McNamara will have plenty of pride in his seventeen battlers and will know that as he starts to get senior players back into his side, then they will give the Saints a far stronger battle when they inevitably meet in the play-off series.
St Helens: Coote (T, 7G), Makinson (T), Naiqama, Percival, Grace (T), Lomax, Dodd (T), Walmsley, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Thompson, Batchelor, Knowles. Subs: Mata’utia (SB on 53), Amor, Paasi, Welsby.
Catalans Dragons: Mourgue, Yaha, Laguerre (T), Whare, Franco, Rouge, Maloney (2G), Goudemand (T), Da Costa, Dudson, Jullien, McMeeken, Tomkins J. Subs: Seguir, Le Cam, Chan J (SB on 34), Dezaria.
Half-Time: 20-6.
Full-Time: 34-12.
Referee: Liam Moore.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 16-0, 18-0, 18-4, 18-6, (SB), 20-6 : HT : 24-6, 26-6, (SB), 26-10, 26-12, 28-12, 32-12, 34-12: FT.
