SAINTS were taught a harsh lesson in Catalan as the Dragons handed them a 42-0 loss.
They were comprehensively second best all over the park and despite remaining top of the Super League table have a lot of soul-searching to do ahead of next weekend’s clash with Castleford.
Their hosts ran in eight tries and to be fair it could have been a lot more as Saints wilted in the blistering heat.
Catalans were red hot from the off and would probably count themselves unlucky not to be more than 8-0 up at the break.
Saints welcomed Jonny Lomax and Josh Jones back into their starting line up with Willie Manu, Alex Walmsley and Mark Percival returning on the bench but it was the Dragons who looked more cohesive.
Nathan Brown’s men started the game well, forcing a knock on but Matty Dawson was bundled into touch from the scrum.
Luke Walsh then put pressure on Daryl Millard but he took a high ball very well.
Two penalties handed Catalan the advantage though and a high Thomas Bosc kick was collected by Vincent Duport after Tommy Makinson lost the flight of the ball.
Bosc wide with the extras.
Saints gained a set straight from the re-start as they were fortunately given the ball from a knock on from Olivier Elima that never was.
But Paul Wellens’ pass to Makinson – who then put down in the corner – was called forward.. and that was harsh too.
Saints looked to be working their way into the game but failed to heed to the warning signs that later became klaxons.
Louis Anderson looked to have put down after taking a suspiciously forward pass – but it was denied by the video referee – and then Walsh and Turner combined to keep Morgan Escaré out.
Indeed, Saints thought they’d scored when Josh Jones took advantage of a bouncing ball with five minutes to go – but it was denied by the video referee because of a push from the centre.
But seconds later another Dragons’ kick to the corner was collected by Michael Oldfield for 8-0 at half time.
It was a scoreline that Brown would, on the balance, have been happy with – but the second half was anything but pleasing.
For 15 minutes they had a pop at the Catalan line but another kick wasn’t dealt with and Duport collected a bouncing ball to go under the posts.
Bosc making it 14-0 with the boot.
Ian Henderson bulldozed over on 60 minutes to increase the pain before Pelissier fed Bosc for Catalan’s fifth.
Oldfield notched his second; Millard compounded the horror show with another and then the winger’s brace became three – Oldfield getting his hat-trick at the death.
Before that final act Alex Walmsley and Eloi Pelissier had a bit of biff under the posts and were given ten minutes to think about what they’d done.
Saints stay top – but that is no consolation to the fans who travelled out to Perpignan.
As it happened Match Centre.
Match Summary:
Dragons:
Tries: Duport (2), Oldfield (3), Henderson, Bosc, Millard
Goals: Bosc (5 from 8)
Saints:
Tries:
Goals:
Penalties:
Dragons: 10
Saints: 3
HT: 0-8
FT: 0-42
REF: James Child
ATT: 9,864
Teams:
Dragons:
2. Morgan Escaré; 5. Michael Oldfield, 4. Ben Pomeroy, 25. Vincent Duport, 18. Daryl Millard; 3. Leon Pryce, 6. Thomas Bosc; 8. Olivier Elima, 16. Eloi Pelissier, 10. Jeff Lima, 17. Elliott Whitehead, 11. Zeb Taia, 24. Jason Baitieri.
Subs: 9. Ian Henderson, 12. Louis Anderson, 23. Lopini Paea, 29. Benjamin Garcia.
Saints:
1. Jonny Lomax; 2. Tommy Makinson, 3. Jordan Turner, 4. Josh Jones, 26. Matty Dawson; 24. Gary Wheeler, 7. Luke Walsh; 8. Mose Masoe, 9. James Roby, 10. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 11. Sia Soliola, 15. Mark Flanagan, 17. Paul Wellens.
Subs: 13. Willie Manu, 18. Alex Walmsley, 22. Mark Percival, 28. Luke Thompson.
