Catalans Dragons v Saints

😤 The Saints beat the Dragons in Perpignan!

It was far from pretty, but a win is a win!

Full time sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport

Saints lose the ball as we look to close it out, Tomkins charges in and Paasi takes him a little high.

The Dragons fullback then looks to have hit Paasi on the ground with his elbow.

40 seconds left on the clock.

Walmsley offloads, with the Dragons camped by their own line offloads and the hosts get onto it. Let off for the French team.

Keary adds a one-pointer to make it level once more.

The Dragons went short from the kick-off and got it back, drove forward to get that drop-goal.

🐲 13-13 😇

Percival on the last dabs a small kick, Tomkins though clears it for a GLDO.

Very well left kick by Welsby for a seven-tackle set, Saints now trying to roll down the other end.

Whitehead slowly gets up, the referee tells him to play it and get on with it.

Walmsley runs as the Saints shape up in the Dragons half, he’s judged to have obstructed a Dragons man.

Keary’s kick hangs in the wind, but Wingfield catches and takes metres. Well done from our #18.

Saints push the Dragons back once more, but on the last Whitley on the edge tries an offload to Sailor but he’s tackled.

After a lengthy check, the tackle was complete, no try.

🐲 12-12 😇

On the last Smith kicks for Pangai who looked to be tackled with the ball carrying arm on the floor before offloading, play goes on

The ball is kicked again to Whitehead, who goes in. VR called for, goes up as a try.

The Saints hold out Smith and Keary inches off the line, but the referee has judged that the Saints were offside and the hosts call for the tee bang in front of the posts.

Cotric looked to be in for the Dragons, but Welsby made the last-ditch tackle to stop him.

Catalans then look to attack on the right, a short kick comes up and Sambou is judged to have knocked on after a kick.

59′ Catalans have challenged an on-field call of a ball steal.

The challenge is successful, Catalans were tackled after the ball went loose and it’s tackle one for the hosts.

Walmsley held from playing the ball, six-again given.

Great defence from Whitley and Bennison as the hosts again throw more offloads and off the cuff.

Walmsley back on, let’s have impact, Al.

Brilliant tackling after some more off the cuff play by Catalans, and Lomax makes a big hit on Tomkins.

Good kick by Saints which Cotric takes and just stays in the field of play.

Back underway.

Again there is an issue with the official’s communication devices, so time off.

Saints again have the Dragons retreating back in their own 20 before a small chip is taken by Tomkins.

🔄 Daryl Clark is now on the field.

A Keary kick almost holds up in the try area, but Sambou does a perfect read to let it roll out.

Bennison gets some space on the right wing, but it’s quickly cut down as he backs himself to race into the corner, but he sticks a foot in touch whilst looking for an offload.

A very rare six-again for the Saints as the visitors move the hosts back into their own half.

Keary under pressure kicks into the wind which the hosts then knock on too by our 40m line.

Mbye on the last kicks high and the wind takes it further, Tomkins juggles it a little but takes it.

Catalans bomb a good chance, but it’s St.Helens good line defence that forces them to knock a ball on

Paasi on the last drives a carry but he believed it wasn’t last, a territory gift for the hosts

Dragons start a set by the halfway line following that offside ruled out try, Tomkins on the last close to the line dribbles a short kick which Bennison leaps on.

41′ Agony as Sambou goes in at the corner after Sailor catches a Lomax kick which was allowed to bounce.

Tristan looked to be inches in front of the ball being kicked though.

Here we go then, back to business!

Slight issue with the officials communication device, so the teams are out but waiting to get the second half started.

⏭ Quarter Final next Sunday but our next home game, it’s Wakefield!

Get your tickets online!

⏸ A tight game in the South of France, which the Saints just have the edge in as we go into the break.

Half time sponsored by Liverpool John Lennon Airport

Great defence to finish the half, the Saints take Nick Cotric into touch with seconds remaining. We form the scrum but the clock isn’t stopped and that’s the half.

Good defence from the Saints keeping the hosts by their own half, Tomkins lifts a booming kick high which hangs in the wind. Batchelor rises highest to claim it.

Saints do well to keep Dragons out, but chaotic play from the French sees them get a fresh set.

Silly error by Saints with the hosts inches off their own line, an Mbye pass to Lomax is too close to the ground and Catalans get it.

We compound it with an offside penalty too.

Keary is offside at St.Helens march them back to their own line.

Fages kicks from just in the Saints half, the ball bounces and flies out of the field of play – so strong is the wind.

Makinson with a tackle on Percival stops an initial threat, Lomax then kicks high to the left corner and Tommy looked to touch it but backwards before we knock on.

Lomax is taken out late by Oliver Partington.

Catalans look to have knocked off after an offload, and even Bennison taking a player into touch, but the play is left to go on and then Keary puts the ball down in the in-goal claiming a try

VR check, no try by the ref

The wind is brutal, the Saints kicks are going against gusts of 50-60mph.

Sambou and Lomax kill off a Catalans attack following a high Keary kick to the corner, we have to come off our own line though.

Sailor goes to punt the ball downfield by the halfway line, it comes off a Catalans man but deemed not played at by the hosts.

Dragons get a penalty for that “high shot”, then a six-again is given too so plenty of pressure on our own line.

Our Saints do well to keep them out, but then Tomkins is loose to an offload, and we get it.

Catalans get a penalty after pushing Saints back to our own line, Keary milks a “high shot” when there was nothing in it.

Saints push Dragons back, and on the last Sailor is held short by the corner. Dragons have to come off their own line.

Saints get the ball back after the wind held it up and pushed it back, Mbye collects it.

A six-again called against Saints, and our men meet Tevita Pangai Jr straight after it and drive him back.

A Tomkins kick is too strong in the wind and goes out by the dead-ball line, seven tackle Saints set.

🔄 Wingfield on in the place of Robertson, with Whitley now at centre.

🐲 0-0 😇

An early blow for the Saints, Harry Robertson comes off the field due to a HIA.

Makinson with his first run against the Saints, Batchelor, Knowles and Lees meet their former teammate well to stop him.

First challenge of a ball in the wind dealt with very well by Jack Welsby at fullback

It has been a bright but very windy day in Perpignan, and as we enter the evening in France it doesn’t look it’s going to die down so may be important to manage that in the game tonight

The milestones keep coming too with Matt Whitley starting for his 200th Super League match tonight

Get stuck in Matt! 🏎

Big night for these two. 😇😇

Mark Percival plays in his 250th match for St Helens, whilst Jack Welsby plays in his 150th for our club!

Mark it with a win, gents. 💪

😇 Here is your Saints lineup for tonight’s Super League clash with Catalans Dragons in Perpignan!