The Catalans Dragons were looking for their first back to back win in over twelve months but it was a tough ask against a Wigan side seeking to get their second place back after the Wolves leap-frogged them in the earlier kick-off.
The Dragons are still anchored to the bottom of the league but were boosted by last Mondays win over the Huddersfield Giants. A victory would lift them off the bottom and into tenth and there could be no greater incentive for the home side.
It was a crucial match for both sides.
The Dragons started off very brightly, looking like a different side to the one which has struggled so far in 2018. On twelve minutes, following a disallowed try for Wigan’s Joe Burgess, the Dragons took the lead when Benjamin Jullien took a delightful Tony Gigot pass to wrongfoot Sam Tomkins and go in for the four pointer. Gigot added the extras and the home side were good value for their 6-0 lead.
As the Warriors frustrations increased tempers frayed as the Dragons players decided not to take a backward step against the Wigan aggression.
After a penalty for a ball steal on twenty-four, Gigot kicked the penalty from eighteen metres to extend the lead by two points but on twenty-seven Greg Bird went down awkwardly in the tackle and was assisted off the field.
A great tackle from Burgess on thirty-five denied Fouad Yaha as the Dragons winger went for the right corner. The Warriors were struggling to gather any momentum against a dogged Catalans.
On thirty-five David Mead ran the length of the field after picking up a poor Sam Tomkins kick through to score under the sticks and give Gigot a simple conversion. Gigot added a one-pointer bang on the stroke of half time for a 15-0 lead at the change of ends.
There was just a minute on the second half clock when Samisoni Langi was in the perfect supporting position to take a delightful offload and walk over to score. Gigot was again accurate with the boot for 21-0, the Warriors were stunned.
The Warriors finally opened their account on forty-six as Dan Sarginson took a Tomkins pass to run the angle and ground, one-handed, a couple of metres from the right corner flag. Tomkins pushed his conversion attempt in front of the uprights.
An obstruction gave Gigot another two points to take his personal tally to ten points in the 23-4 lead.
Wigan scored the try of the game on fifty-two with a rolling break including Sean O’Loughlin and Liam Farrell who then found Oliver Gildart to score in the corner. Tomkins goaled from close to the touchline. Wigan were easing their way back into a game which had looked like a lost cause.
Burgess got Wigan’s third on fifty-seven when he took a Farrell pass to go over in the left corner. Tomkins was unable to add the extra two on this occasion, Wigan still nine points adrift. The Dragons were now visibly wilting, looking nervous, and hanging on.
Three minutes later and it was Liam Farrell who broke a lacklustre tackle off an O’Loughlin pass to go over. Tomkins added the two for 23-20 and now there only looked like one winner.
Wigan took the lead on sixty-six with O’Loughlin again the provider, this time to Tomkins who went in on the overlap. It was one-way traffic and as Tomkins added the conversion the Warriors hit the front at 26-23. It was all one-way traffic, the Dragons couldn’t get hold of the ball.
Mikael Simon was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle on seventy-two and the Dragons would have to play the rest of the game with a man down.
The win was sealed on seventy-eight when Tony Clubb bust the Catalans line to crawl over the line and grab the sixth Warriors try of the afternoon. Tomkins added the extras for twenty-eight unanswered points for a 23-32 win.
This was an incredible turnaround from Wigan who were second best for the first fifty minutes but who dominated the last half an hour. The loss, from such a commanding position, will devastate the Dragons who desperately needed the win to boost their league position and confidence. O’Loughlin and Tomkins were the key play makers who inflicted the damage.
Wigan regained their second position and kept Saints just within their sights at the top of the table. The Dragons will need to pick themselves up for a trip to Castleford next weekend.
Dragons: Mead (T), Broughton, Wiliame, Thornley, Yaha, Gigot (5G, DG), Langi (T), Simon (SB on 72), McIlorum, Moa, Garcia, Jullien (T), Bird. Subs: Bousquet, Aiton, Baitieri, Casty.
Warriors: Tomkins (T, 4G), Marshall, Sarginson (T), Gildart (T), Burgess (T), Williams, Powell, O’Loughlin, Leuluai, Flower, Isa, Farrell (T), Bateman . Subs: Clubb (T), Sutton, Hamlin, Navarrete.
Referee: Liam Moore.
Half-Time: 14-0.
Full-Time: 23-32.
Attendance: .
