Catalans 20-36 St Helens: Saints march on to Challenge Cup semi-finals
Lewis Dodd of St Helens celebrates his try | Photo: Sylvain Thomas/SWpix
St Helens produced a professional performance to beat Catalans Dragons 36-20 and progress to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.
Saints took the lead thanks to a Tommy Makinson penalty goal before the Dragons scored the first try of the game through Fouad Yaha.
Kristian Woolf’s Saints went back in front midway through the first half as full-back Jack Welsby showed good support for Will Hopoate.
There was an 10-minute spell in which Saints were red hot. They scored again through Lewis Dodd following a magic move that involved Curtis Sironen and Welsby.
Mark Percival soon extended the visitors’ lead thanks to a lovely Jonny Lomax offload.
In the 31st minute, St Helens forward Sironen was sin-binned for a high shot on Catalans skipper Ben Garcia.
And the Dragons scored in the next set. Welsh prop Gil Dudson powered over the line from close range. The returning Arthur Mourgue converted but the Dragons trailed 20-10 at the break.
HT: Catalans Dragons 10-20 St Helens
Woolf’s men started the second half in fine form as England World Cup hopeful Morgan Knowles powered his way over from dummy half.
France international Yaha got his second of the afternoon in the 57th minute thanks to a smart cut-out pass from Josh Drinkwater. Mourgue converted but they were still 26-16 behind.
Young Saints prop Dan Norman scored his third Saints try of the season on the hour mark to put the game out of reach for the Dragons.
In the 69th minute, Joe Batchelor burst onto a Lomax short ball to seal Saints’ place in the semi-finals.
Catalans winger Tom Davies scored late on but it would only prove to be a consolation try as St Helens finished 36-20 winners in Perpignan.
FT: Catalans Dragons 20-36 St Helens
Catalans: Tomkins; Davies, Romano, May, Yaha; Pearce, Drinkwater; Napa, McIlorum, Dudson, Jullien, McMeeken, Garcia. Subs: Mourgue, Chan, Dezaria, Kasiano.
Tries: Yaha (2), McIlorum, Davies Goals: Mourgue 2
St Helens: Welsby; Hopoate, Hurrell, Percival, Makinson; Lomax, Dodd; Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Batchelor, Sironen, Knowles. Subs: Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Paasi, Norman.
Tries: Welsby, Dodd, Percival, Knowles, Norman, Batchelor Goals: Makinson 6
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