Brian Noble’s decision to recall Darrell Goulding from his loan at Salford was vindicated as the centre crossed for the winning try on 75 minutes and his brilliant flick pass created an earlier try for winger Amos Roberts. All of which dashed a gallant Catalans effort, with the Dragons overcoming an early 10-0 deficit to forge a 22-14 lead entering the final quarter.
The last-minute withdrawal of stand-off, Adam Mogg, forced the visitors to include skipper, Greg Bird, from the start; this after his enforced month-long absence court-hopping in Australia. But that didn’t stop the Dragons rallying through tries from Steve Bell and Olivier Elima, both converted by Thomas Bosc, to snatch a 12-10 lead at the break.
Bird was behind much of the Dragon’s approach play in a tense opening to the game, but only a marginal forward pass decision cost Pat Richards the opening try on 5 minutes.
The Warriors finally cracked the Dragons’ defence open on 21 minutes though, when Leuluai scooped-up Sam Tomkins offload 5 metres out and dumped the ball off to George Carmont who touched down at the left corner.
Wigan then capitalised on a Greenshields error to extend their lead. The fullback fumbled a Leuluai kick and then conceded a penalty for dissent. Leuluai’s vision – and a bullet-like pass – gifted Richards a walk-in on the left, with the winger goaling from the touchline.
Greenshield’s prolonged nagging of referee Ben Thaler, continued and finally saw him sin-binned. Despite that the Dragons hit back to take a 12-10 lead into the second half.
Wigan started the second half strongly, Goulding creating an early try for Roberts. But the Catalans took what looked to be a decisive 22-14 lead entering the final quarter when first Bird and then Pelo touched down, with Bosc adding his third conversion.
The Warriors found a way to win though. Sheer determination creating openings for man of the match Richards and then Goulding to grab tries wide out and edge them to a 24-22 victory.
TEAMS:
Warriors:
21 Phelps, 2 Roberts, 3 Goulding, 4 Carmont, 5 Richards, 25 S Tomkins, 7 Leuluai, 15 Coley, 9 Riddell, 19 Prescott, 12 Bailey, 16 Hansen, 14 J Tomkins
Subs: 8 Fielden, 10 Paleaaesina, 20 Pryce, 24 Lee Mossop
Tries: Carmont (21), Richards (25, 66), Roberts (46), Goulding (75)
Goals: Richards 2/5
Dragons
1 Greenshields, 3 Bell, 12 Croker, 15 Baile, 5 Pelo, 26 Bird, 6 Bosc, 8 Ferriol, 9 McGuire, 10 Guisset, 16 Elima, 17 Gossard, 23 Ryles
Subs: 13 Mounis, 22 Fakir, 24 Casty, 7 Perry
Tries: Bell (36), Elima (39), Bird (51), Pelo (59)
Goals: Bosc 3/4
Match summary
21 George Carmont try 4-0
Pat Richards missed goal 0/1
25 Pat Richards try 8-0
Pat Richards missed goal 1/2 10-0
26 Sin-bin: Clint Greenshields (dissent)
36 Steve Bell try 10-4
Thomas Bosc goal 1/1 10-6
39 Olivier Elima try 10-10
Thomas Bosc goal 2/2 10-12
HALF TIME
46 Amos Roberts try 14-12
Pat Richards goal 1/3
51 Greg Bird try 14-16
Thomas Bosc goal 3/3 14-18
59 Dimitri Pelo try 14-22
Thomas Bosc goal 3/4
66 Pat Richards try 18-22
Pat Richards goal 2/4 20-22
75 Darrell Goulding try 24-22
Pat Richards missed goal 2/5
FULL TIME
Referee: Ben Thaler
Attendance: 11,543
Men of the match
Warriors: Thomas Bosc
Dragons: Pat Richards
Post-match Reaction
“I thought it was a game we should have won, but I’m sure Brian feels the same way,“ said Catalans coach, Kevin Walters after the game. ”Both sides showed steel to fight back well. In the end they were just to strong for us.
“We had a chat about our discipline at half time and improved in the second half but there’s more to be done I think.”
And Walters praised controversial Aussie halfback, Greg Bird, saying: “Greg’s a world class player a footy player that’s what he’s good at.
”For him to come out and do what he did for the team after spending the past few weeks in court shows that. We haven’t seen the best of his abilities yet but we’re hopeful now that he can focus on his footy for the rest of the year and that’ll be good for the Dragons.“
Wigan coach, Brian Noble was delighted with the spirit shown by his side saying: “I was really, really pleased with our character to hit back and win it. Once we executed on the fringes we were very good.
”We were disappointed with one or two things defensively, but that’s something we need to clean up during the week.“
But Noble was pragmatic about events that see his team climbing into fifth place adding: “It’s a time of year when we’ve got to stay strong, we won’t get carried away that we’re up in fifth (place) that can change in a couple of weeks.“
ibridge
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