DRAGONS EARN A WEEK OFF
LUKE CONNELLY
SALFORD RED DEVILS 8
CATALANS DRAGONS 19
► Salford City Stadium, Friday
CATALANS DRAGONS just missed out on the League Leaders’ Shield but secured the much coveted second place with this hard-fought victory over the Salford Red Devils.
It was a far cry from the grandeur of last week’s 61-0 win over Leeds and, post-match, Steve McNamara aptly described it as a “not great” game of Rugby League.
While the Dragons arrived on British shores buoyed by that latest victory, they were greeted by the chillier, wetter conditions of Greater Manchester, a far cry from those warmer climes of Perpignan. They clung to the possibility of the League Leader’s spot, whilst Salford were aiming to gazump Warrington and sneak into sixth, but without King Vuniyayawa, who was suspended, and Andy Ackers, who was injured. Replacing them were the returning Brad Singleton and Adam Sidlow from the bench.
Arthur Romano replaced Adam Keighran in the Catalans’ lineup and, having been denied a first opportunity to break the deadlock, with Sam Tomkins’ pass to him drifting forward, he took the second with aplomb. Ten minutes in, Tyrone May attacked down the left, offloading at the optimal moment to Romano, who found terra firma to score. Tomkins successfully converted.