SPIRITED St Estève-XIII Catalan hit back from 20-0 down to score 24 unanswered points in the final quarter at Lézignan. 

For the second match in a row, Lézignan failed to consolidate a lead and ended up losing by a narrow margin.

The home side raced into an 8-0 lead with tries from centre Dorian Gouzy and winger Loris Zammut, who added a second ten minutes later.

Despite a red card for Lézignan forward Eddy Perramond, prop Max Bailey extended the score to 16-0 at the start of the second period, and when Mickael Tribillac put Gouzy in for his second, the lead was a comfortable-looking 20-0.

But Rémi Casty’s men came back with five tries in 22 minutes.

Centre Félix Gauthier and prop Robin Hughes started the fightback before wingers Timéo Portier and Nicolas Authier and prop Lucas Tignol between them scored three times in six minutes as Lézignan allowed the game slip from their grasp.

St Estève’s Alan Baby kicked a late penalty-goal as the inexperienced Baby Dracs overcame the odds, winning 24-20.

With Carcassonne and Limoux not playing because heavy rain had again forced the postponement of their matches, Albi closed in on the leaders with a 20-4 home win over Villefranche.

Albi had the edge in pace and power, exemplified by loose-forward John Toleafoa and centre Cédric Soulé, who both charged through to score early tries.

At the other end, Villefranche centre Eliot Zenon forced his way over, before Soulé crossed for his second in similar fashion to his first, with a half-time score of 14-4. 

On a muddy pitch, both sides ground their way through the second half. The only other try came when stand-off Théo Guinget broke and kicked ahead for winger Nittim Pedrero to touch down in-goal, producing a 20-4 victory.

Avignon, looking to make up for their cup exit at the hands of Carcassonne’s feeder club, Villegailhenc of Elite 2, claimed a valuable 28-20 win at Villeneuve to consolidate their fourth place in the table.

Leading 14-6, and with the greater share of possession, they pulled ahead in the second half, scoring three further tries, including a first Super XIII effort from winger Isaac Bayakoko and a second of the match from halfback Baptiste Pourchi.

But it was not without resistance from Villeneuve, who posted three tries of their own, with only a bonus point to show for their efforts.

Results
Albi 20 Villefranche 4
Lézignan 20 St Estève-XIII Catalan 24
Villeneuve 20 Avignon 28
St Gaudens v Carcassonne postponed
Toulouse v Limoux postponed
Bye: Pia

Fixtures
Sunday, February 8
Pia v Albi
Toulouse v Limoux

Table
Carcassonne 28 pts
Limoux 26 pts
Albi 26 pts
Avignon 22 pts
Pia 21 pts
Lézignan 21 pts
St Estève-XIII Catalan 18 pts
Toulouse 16 pts
Villefranche 14 pts
Villeneuve 11 pts
St Gaudens 7 pts