CAUGHT COLD FROM THE START

Catalans 37  Salford 24                                             Match Report – David Clegg

Yet another slow start in this league encounter, between two teams anxious to make up for their somewhat surprising ejections from the Challenge Cup the previous week, once again gave the visiting Red Devils a mountain to climb as they desperately set about hauling themselves back into contention.  The Dragons, by comparison, roared into life from the very outset, spurred on by Salford’s basic error at the kickoff when the ball was put directly into touch.  Once again it was a static defence which seemed absolutely powerless, in the first twenty minutes, to cope with the rampant home side revelling in their offloads, which really let them down.

martin_gleesonIt has been reported on a number of occasions in articles relating to the U19s squad that defence is the hardest part of the game to instil into young players, probably owing to the fact that, when defending, players have to react much more to situations, whereas with ball in hand they are able to be rather more proactive.  With a brand new squad, it is not inconceivable that our present first team players are experiencing something similar as they attempt to adjust to the new systems, structures, and style of player Head Coach Iestyn Harris is requiring of them.

Nevertheless, improvements overall appear to be in line with Iestyn’s expectations, and once again there were signs of progress to be applauded.  The ability to come back from such a devastating start, and then take the lead by half time, would have been beyond a number of Super League sides, especially in the South of France.  Also, to score back to back tries in consecutive sets, for the second week in succession is, in itself a feat, which has not appeared to be within the capability of the side earlier in the season.

Alongside this there were glimpses of individual skills which stood out.  Ten minutes into the second half, fullback Greg Eden took an extremely difficult, threatening high kick as he was running back towards his own line with the ball coming from behind him, whilst earlier in the first half Martin Gleeson (above) had rolled back the years with some of that fabulous footwork for which he was always noted in his early days, to stand up the Dragons’ defence and provide his winger, Danny Williams, with an inside pass and a clear run to the line.

tim_smithThere were also some fine individual performances throughout the match, most notably from Junior Sa’u who would seem, at the moment to be one of the players playing with the utmost confidence, and from Gareth Hock who caused anguish in the Catalans ranks every time he got the ball.  In fact the whole of that left flank looked extremely threatening with master-in-chief, Rangi  Chase pulling the strings.  Tim Smith (left) was an extremely reliable stand-in goal-kicker, finishing with a hundred percent success rate from his four conversion attempts.

It was 14 mins before Salford were in a position to launch an attack on the French line, coming as it did with the home side’s mis-fielding of the restart from their second try, but Danny Williams had just a little too much to do to get in at the corner, being adjudged to have put a foot in touch by video referee, Thierry Alibert.

The introduction of Darrell Griffin and Tony Puletua, on twenty minutes, coincided with Salford’s best spell of the game, and for the remainder of the half the Red Devils totally dominated position, possession and points scoring.  Four consecutive sets of JUNIOR SAUsix, following a second mix up in the Catalans defence at the restart from their third score, culminated with clever play from Hock keeping the ball alive to Sa’u (right), moments after the centre had been held short of the line himself, and he put in the final pass to Francis Meli for his customary try on 25 mins.

With Williams’s aforementioned try off Gleeson, doubling their score, the whole balance of the game had changed within three minutes with now only four points between them.  Four further back to back sets at the end of the half, saw Chase put Greg Eden in straight from a scrum, to complete a most remarkable turnaround, at 16-18.

In his match preview, Iestyn had spoken about the importance of not being drawn into overplaying in order to match the flamboyant style of the French side, and the Devils would have done well to have heeded his words.  Instead of taking control of the game in the second half, slowing it down by completing sets with good kicks and chases, six costly errors surrendered the initiative back to the home side, and with it the game.

The most crucial of these came midway through the half.  Seeking to extend a 24-22 lead, Salford were on the attack on their third successive set, as a result of forcing a goal-line drop-out and being granted a penalty, when the ball was lost on the second tackle.  The defence, which followed in that next set allowed Catalans to march up the field and finish their set by taking the lead for the final time.  Minutes later, a penalty goal extended that lead to six points and the Dragons showed that they too could get back to back scores by immediately crossing for a converted try and putting themselves out of sight at 36-24, with only ten minutes to go.

Just to make sure, though, a drop goal two minutes from time, put them in a completely comfortable three score, thirteen point, lead they held to the final whistle.  It is worth remembering, however, that this is three points less than their initial lead of sixteen points, in almost as many minutes, which then had to be clawed back.

Catalans Scorers:

Tries – Escare (3), Millard, Taia, Pryce

Goals – Bartheau (6), DG – Pelissiser