WATCH: Missed conversion on the hooter that cost Catalans chance of victory

James Gordon
Adam Keighran

Photo by Steve Flynn/News Images

Catalans missed out on the chance to force only the second golden point extra time period of the season at Salford on Sunday.

Adam Keighran failed to convert his own try in the final minute of the match that would have levelled the scores at 16-all.

Keighran, 26, was an off-season signing from Sydney Roosters and has been thrown in at the deep end with a Dragons following a spate of early season injuries.

He’s played in all 10 of their games so far, kicking 26 goals at a success rate of 68%.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t add to that tally at the death and Salford escaped with the victory.

The Red Devils are now level on points with Catalans in the Super League table, with both sides winning six and losing four ahead of the international break.

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Salford are the only side to have won a match after golden point extra time this season, beating Wakefield 14-13 at the AJ Bell Stadium back in March.

Being forced in to golden point and possibly losing would have been tough on them following their display against the Dragons.

King Vuniyayawa crashed over after 10 minutes to give them the lead and though Marc Sneyd added the conversion and a penalty minutes later, a drop from the subsequent restart gifted Catalans a route in to the match.

From the scrum, Tom Johnstone found enough space in the corner to get over for his 11th try of the season to reduce arrears to 8-4.

A minute before half time though, Salford reacted fast to a tap restart and Joe Burgess broke from deep and just made it over the try line, despite the best efforts of Johnstone.

Sneyd converted that try and then added a penalty shortly after half-time to put Salford 16-4 in front.

However, three minutes later Arthur Mourgue’s kick found its way to Paul Seguier, who grounded before Keighran converted to narrow the Red Devils’ lead to just six going into the final quarter.

Catalans were visibly off-colour for much of the contest to that point, but that Keighran try shifted the momentum in their favour and they had chance after chance in the final minutes to score the try that would potentially level the scores.

And, just as it seemed as though Salford would hold them out with some spirited defending, Keighran punctured the line with less than a minute left on the clock – but he pushed his conversion wide to the delight of the Salford supporters.

Dragons coach, Steve McNamara, cut a frustrated figure post-match and was left to reflect on a below-par first half which left Catalans 12 points behind at the break.

He said: “Over the whole 80 minutes, we really did a lot of damage to ourselves in the first half. We had to defend well in that first half just to stay in the contest.

“Our defence enabled us to get enough field position but we lacked enough quality in attack. We need to find a bit more in attack.

“The players have given everything in the first 10 rounds, we’ve not been able to rotate many people. because of injuries. We’ve had so many things to deal with.”

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Super League Adam Keighran