Saints dumped out of Challenge Cup by Catalans Dragons

Justin Holbrook’s men reserved their worst performance of the season for the game that mattered most – with sloppy handling and a lack of direction with the ball compounded by some uncharacteristically weak defence which saw them face too big a mountain to climb.

A 27-0 half time deficit – not Saints’ favourite Challenge Cup scoreline – was too big a handicap to tackle in the second half, but they at least showed some resilience to post three tries, but it was too little too late.

It was a bitter anti-climax for the fans who had turned out in numbers to the University of Bolton Stadium.

The signs were there early on. It was an edgy opening from Saints, littered with errors, with a misread on the right seeing Adam Swift fail to collect a pass, a low one from Jon Wilkin put down by Jonny Lomax and Danny Richardson dropping one at first receiver.

They were mistakes that gave Catalans all the encouragement they needed to get their feet under the table – and boy did they take the invitation.

In conditions more suited to the south of France, Catalans took an eight-minute lead when Josh Drinkwater slotted a penalty for holding down.

A Kyle Amor spillage, compounded by a penalty, saw the Dragons launch an attack on the right where Lewis Tierney evaded Ben Barba’s tackle on the line to touch down.

Drinkwater slotted the touchline conversion to make it 8-0 after 22 minutes.

A late tackle on Richardson gave Saints a penalty 10 metres out, but that attack ended with James Roby being held up over the line – but at least it had seen them threaten.

Dragons continued to ask questions and Fouad Yaha dropped a chip over on the line following a repeat set.

But they were soon back knocking on the door, with Ben Garcia forcing his way over from close range.

Richardson’s restart went out on the full – despite a Dragons man appearing to play at it – to give them a penalty.

And at the end of the set Tony Gigot made it a three-score lead with a drop goal.

Saints task got even tougher when Morgan Knowles was sent to the sin bin for a high shot on Kenny Edwards, with the latter leaving the field for a concussion assessment.

Drinkwater slotted the penalty to make it 15-0 on 35 minutes and then they streaked in straight from the restart kick with Gigot taking Benjamin Jullien’s inside ball to steam over.

Drinkwater added the goal to make it 21-0 a scoreline that reflected Dragons’ dominance – and the complete rout was on when Garcia finished off a long-range move for his second.

Drinkwater added another conversion to give the unfortunate cup scoreline of 27-0 and even Saints, with their notorious comeback capabilities, had too big a mountain to climb.

Back-to-back penalties at the start of the second half saw Drinkwater convert the latter, to push the deficit up to 29.

In desperation McCarthy-Scarsbrook tackled the Dragons catcher in mid air from the restart kick and they were back defending their line again.

A high tackle on Mark Percival was picked up by the video ref to chalk off their appeal for a try.

And from there a thunderous tackle from Mark Parcival on Tierney emboldened the Saints , with Dragons turning over under pressure.

From there the Saints pressed, with Percival finishing off what he started to slide over after the ball had been worked right and left in a slick shift play.

Richardson missed the goal, leaving Saints chasing a five-score deficit for 29 to play.

It was Saints’ best period of the game, and after another penalty for a high tackle on Richardson, Saints pressed on with McCarthy-Scarsbrook showing fine determination to keep his legs droving from close range to touch down.

With the Saints crowd finding their voices, Richardson converted to cut the lead to 29-10.

Saints were soon back for more but in a raid up the left flank, Ben Barba just failed to get boot to ball as he weaved up the touchline.

It was probably critical in the Saints recovery – as they were now up against the clock.

They tried moving it where they were allowed, but being caught in possession on ther last and then throwing a forward pass was a prelude to sounding the death knell for their hopes.

Catalans pressed and Sam Moa forced his way over to end any faint hope of a rally, with Drinkwater’s extras making it 35-10 with 15 to play.

Only desperate defence from Barba and Lomax on the line stopped Tierney nipping in at the corner for another, but Saints were playing just to mend wounded pride at this stage.

They kept moving the ball and worked an opening on the left following a charge from Zeb Taia.

Quick hands saw Percival force his way over, with Richardson slotting the touchline conversion to make it 35-16 with 13 to play.

But there was no way back and the game petered out for Saints.

Saints: Barba; Swift, Makinson, Percival, Grace; Lomax, Richardson; Amor, Roby, Thompson, Knowles, Taia, Wilkin. Subs: Fages, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Douglas, Lees.

Catalans: Gigot; Tierney, Mead, Williame, Yaha; Langi, Drinkwater; Simon, McIlorum, Moa, Jullien, Garcia, Casty. Subs: Bousquet, Anderson, Edwards, Baitieri.