ST HELENS went down 14-12 at home to the Catalans Dragons at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
However, it was the news that both James Roby and Mark Percival would miss next week’s Challenge Cup semi-final with the Leigh Leopards following head knocks ind efeat.
Both sides appeared nervous in the opening exchanges with no real chance for either Catalans or Saints. But, a high tackle on Paul Seguier enabled the Dragons to register the first points of the evening with an Adam Keighran penalty.
It was nip and tuck for the next seven minutes before Tom Johnstone ran the length of the field just after the midway point in the half after being fed by Keighran. The centre converted to make it 8-0.
Things threatened to boil over when Sam Tomkins took a high shot from Sione Mata’utia but great control from referee Liam Moore calmed things down as James Roby left the field with concussion – Roby would then be followed by Percival with a head knock too, with both men ruled out of the Challenge Cup semi-final against Leigh next week.
Will Hopoate almost dotted down for Saints from a Lewis Dodd kick but James Bell had knocked on over the line.
Catalans could feel hard done by, however, when the hosts were awarded three penalties in a row before the Dragons cracked. A neat Dodd grubber set up Mark Percival beautifully, who converted to reduce the deficit to two at 8-6.
Down at the break, Saints were cut down further on 44 minutes when Matt Ikuvalu charged over. Keighran converted superbly from the touchline for a 14-6 lead.
Hopoate thought he had scored just after the hour, but a desperate tackle by Johnstone pushed the Tongan into touch.
It was all Saints in the final half an hour, but it took them until 73 minutes to finally breach a stubborn Catalans defence as Dodd took advantage of a great Hopoate run. With Percival off the field, Joey Lussick took over the kicking duties to bring Saints back to within two at 14-12.
However, Catalans held on for a priceless two points.
St Helens
1 Jack Welsby
3 Will Hopoate
23 Konrad Hurrell
4 Mark Percival
5 Jon Bennison
6 Jonny Lomax
7 Lewis Dodd
8 Alex Walmsley
9 James Roby
10 Matty Lees
11 Sione Mata’utia
19 James Bell
13 Morgan Knowles
Substitutes
14 Joey Lussick
15 LMS
17 Agnatius Paasi
30 George Delaney
Tries: Percival (33), Dodd (74)
Goals: Percival 1/1, Lussick 1/1
Catalans Dragons
29 Sam Tomkins
2 Tom Davies
21 Matt Ikuvalu
3 Adam Keighran
24 Tom Johnstone
6 Tyrone May
7 Mitchell Pearce
8 Mike McMeeken
9 Michael McIlorum
16 Romain Navarrete
11 Matt Whitley
12 Paul Seguier
13 Benjamin Garcia
Substitutes
10 Julian Bousquet
18 Tiaki Chan
23 Jordan Dezaria
26 Manu Ma’u
Tries: Johnstone (21), Ikuvalu (44)
Goals: Keighran 3/3
Half-time: 6-8
Referee: Liam Moore
