Catalans Dragons led Leigh 8-0 at half-time thanks to a Arthur Mourgue penalty and Tom Johnstone’s try, before Mickael Goudemand helped seal the Super League victory in the second half for the French side
Last Updated: 25/02/23 8:06pm
Leigh’s Joe Wardle is tackled by Catalans Cesar Rouge and Matthieu Laguerre (Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com)
Leigh gave Catalans Dragons a scare before falling to a battling 14-6 defeat in Perpignan.
The newly-promoted Leopards put up a brave fight, but a second-half try from the Dragons’ Mickael Goudemand handed the visitors their second loss of the season at a cold and grey Stade Gilbert Brutus.
Leigh were full value for their modest 8-0 half-time deficit and came close to upsetting the odds thanks to a mercurial performance from Lachlan Lam at scrum-half but just did not have enough quality to bring the points home.
Catalans lost second-row Matt Whitley and centre Adam Keighran before kick-off and were already without the injured Mitchell Pearce, Mike McMeeken and Tyrone May, but they had enough in reserve to cope with Leigh’s spirited performance.
Sam Tomkins returned to action at scrum-half alongside young France international Cesar Rouge, but the Leopards, who lost influential hooker Edwin Ipape before the game because of an ankle injury, held their own.
The game was scoreless until Tomkins’ understudy at full-back Arthur Mourgue landed a penalty in the 30th minute.
Five minutes later Tom Johnstone latched on to a sweeping move to the left to score the first try of the game, Mourgue kicking from the touchline to put Catalans 8-0 ahead at half-time.
Leigh hit back early in the second half when Lam caused chaos in the Catalans’ defence with a kick to the line, which was mopped up by second-rower Joe Wardle and grounded.
Ben Reynolds added the conversion to put the visitors within two points.
And the Leopards held the Dragons for long periods until Goudemand split their defence with a powerful 10-metre burst to score in the 66th minute, Mourgue’s conversion making it 14-6.
Leigh still would not fold and stood firm as Catalans peppered their line with a series of penalties and extended possession late into the game.
What’s next?
Catalans return to action at home to Hull FC on Friday March 3, while Leigh are on the road against Hull KR.