Catalans Dragons 24 Wakefield Trinity 22: Willie Poching proud but Trinity fall just short in fightback

Last season’s league leaders shield winners had been hoping to put on a show for their supporters in their first home game of the Super League season.

But Trinity put up a valiant battle in Perpignan as they fought back from 24-10 down, with converted tries from Max Jowitt and Tom Lineham pulling them within touching distance of Catalans at the final hooter.

“We know what we are capable of and we were unlucky not to come out on top,” said Poching.

“We face St Helens next week and that’s (last season’s) two Grand Finalists, but we’ve shown that we fear no-one.

“Teams like Catalans and St Helens make you work hard, and to perform like we did tonight will give us great confidence.

“There’s a massive element of pride in how we dug ourselves out of a hole but also disappointment that we gave such a quality team a leg-up that they didn’t need.”

The Dragons were looking to bounce back from defeat to St Helens in their opener and were ahead after seven minutes when France winger Matthieu Laguerre dotted down at the right corner. Fouad Yaha then added another try, which Sam Tomkins converted.

Trinity hit back in the 24th minute, though, when winger Tom Johnstone collected a high kick from stand-off Brad Walker to cross the line unopposed on the left, but full-back Jowitt unable to convert from wide.

Catalans struck back immediately when Wakefield lost possession from the restart and Tomkins found space for Samisoni Langi to score, Tomkins also converting for a 16-4 lead.

Wakefield would not lie down though and Jowitt finished a run from 20 metres out, adding the conversion himself, to put just six points between the sides at half-time.

Dragons second-row Mike McMeeken was stopped close to the line by a high tackle early in the second half and, from the penalty, the ball was swung left to captain Ben Garcia, who romped over the line. Tomkins added his third conversion from four.

Langi was then held short and Wakefield were penalised in front of their posts, leaving a simple conversion for Tomkins.

However, Trinity’s irrepressible Jowitt launched two promising counter-attacks, with winger Lineham unlucky to be bundled into the right touch just as he was about to score.

Wakefield gained confidence in the final quarter, forcing a succession of goal-line drop-outs from the home team, but they were unable to find the finishing touch.

The game was then stopped with seven minutes to go for an injury to Wakefield hooker Liam Hood, who left the field holding his arm.

But Trinity were not finished and an enterprising break by Jowitt on the left saw Johnstone side-step over for his second try, with Jowitt adding the conversion, before an audacious length-of-the-pitch strike by winger Lineham, also converted, left just two points between the teams at the final hooter.

Catalans coach Steve McNamara admitted his side were fortunate to hang on.

He said: “I thought we were dominant throughout but we missed so many opportunities.

“We had so many chances to score tries but we just blew them. Wakefield showed great tenacity to stay in the game.

“But our discipline, when we had Wakefield in difficult positions, let us down too many times.

“It’s just not good enough.”