Dragons survive Wildcats comeback
Catalans Dragons will now face Hull KR in a preliminary semi-final
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Saturday, 19, Sep 2009 09:45
By Tom Powell.
Catalans Dragons survived a second half Wakefield Wildcats comeback to record a 25-16 win in the Super League play-offs.
Three tries in the last ten minutes of the first half put the Dragons on the course for victory after the Wildcats had began brightly.
The Wildcats battled valiantly but fell just short of pulling of a stunning second half comeback.
The Dragons began cautiously with the hosts dictating much of the early play but were unable to find a way through the Catalans defence.
The Wildcats were ahead after 22 minutes when Brad Drew slotted a penalty after Greg Bird was pulled up for an infringement.
Dragons eased their way into the game and took the lead when Vincent Duport squeezed in at the corner after good work from Adam Mogg on the half hour. Thomas Bosc narrowly missed with the conversion attempt.
The Dragons put themselves in complete control with a two scores in as many minutes just before the break.
First Mogg broke through the Wildcats defence and offloaded to Olivier Elima to touchdown before Dimitri Pelo finished off a simple move after the Wildcats were adjudged to have been offside from the kick-off. Bosc added both conversions to give his side a 16-2 half-time lead.
Catalans began brightly after the break and they seemingly put the game to bed when Pelo barged over ten minutes in with Bosc converting the try to stretch the lead to 20 points.
But two minutes later the Wildcats had some hope. Luke George scuttled down the blindside of a scrum and beyond a bewildered Dragons defence to squeeze in at the corner. Drew narrowly missed with his conversion.
It really was game on with twenty minutes to go. George latched onto a Scott Grix kick before setting off down the wing and offloading inside for Ryan Atkins to touch down. Drew was again off target with the conversion attempt to leave the score 22-10.
The Wildcats comeback continued as George’s second try reduced the deficit to six. The winger reacted quickest to Drew’s kick through to touch down. Drew added the conversion to set up a nail biting last five minutes.
But it was too little too late and the Dragons, with the help of a late Bosc drop goal and penalty, held on to move into a preliminary semi-final against Hull KR.