Catalans 8-24 Warrington: Wolves end Dragons’ winning run

James Gordon

Warrington ended Catalans Dragons’ unbeaten start to the season with a 24-8 win in Perpignan.

The hosts led 8-0 after half an hour but the Wolves hit back to lead at half time and they closed out the win.

There was no Blake Austin for Warrington, who started with Stefan Ratchford alongside Gareth Widdop at half-back.

Just a James Maloney penalty goal separated the two sides after 10 minutes, and it took until just shy of the half hour mark for him to add to that – converting his own try for 8-0.

Two tries in the final seven minutes of the first half swung the game in the Wolves favour though.

Daryl Clark’s break set up Ben Currie and then Toby King took in Widdop’s kick, both converted by Stefan Ratchford to give them a 12-8 half time lead.

On the back foot at the start of the second half, a 90 metre intercept try from Jake Mamo – whose individual brilliance secured a draw at Hull last week – gave Warrington a two score cushion they would never relinquish.

Widdop’s try on 66 minutes put the game well beyond the Dragons, and the Wolves kept them scoreless in the second half to record their second league win of the season.

Coach Steve Price said: “I’m super proud of all the boys. It was a good old tough game of footy. There was some big game changing moments. To keep Catalans to one try for an 80 minute performance was really positive for us.”

Catalans: S Tomkins, Davies, Whare, Langi, Yaha, Drinkwater, Maloney, Bousquet, Da Costa, Dudson, Whitley, McMeeken, Garcia. Subs: McIlorum, Seguier, Baitieri, Kasiano.

Warrington: Ashton, Thewlis, Mamo, King, Charnley, Ratchford, Widdop, Hill, Clark, Cooper, Currie, Hughes, Davis. Subs: Clark, Philbin, Mulhern, Walker.