Catalans (18) 24 Tries: Duport, Bird, Elima, BaileGoals: Bosc (4)
Bradford (18) 30 Tries: Menzies, Tadulala, Sheriffe, Newton, Halley Goals: Deacon (3), Sykes (2)
Dave Halley's last-gasp try earned Bradford their first Super League win of the season as the Dragons lost their fifth game of the campaign. After the video referee turned down three Catalans efforts, the home side had looked on course to win thanks to Jean-Philippe Baile's 67th-minute try. But Terry Newton's try brought Bradford to within two points of the Catalans. Paul Sykes then slotted over a penalty and with seconds remaining Halley went over after good work from Ben Jeffries. Steve Menzies and Semi Tadulala ran in early tries for Bradford after Thomas Bosc's penalty had put the home side ahead. Dragons winger Thomas Duport went over in the corner on 18 minutes but Paul Deacon's penalty added to the Bulls' advantage, before Bradford's winter signing Rikki Sheriffe grabbed his third try in as many games. The Dragons hit back with two tries in three minutes just before the break, the first scored by new captain Greg Bird, who would have been playing for the Bulls if only he had been given a work permit. Olivier Elima added the second and two Bosc conversions made it 18-18 at half-time. The home side dominated the second half and were left bemused as they were repeatedly denied tries by the video referee, and right at the death they were floored by Halley's sucker-punch.
Bradford coach Steve McNamara: "In terms of resilience, determination and the will not to lose, it was second to none from us. "It was important we got the result. I've got a few more grey hairs, but I'm glad to have the monkey off our back now. "Hopefully we can relax and go on with things. We're a good side, there's no two ways about it." Catalans coach Kevin Walters: "We probably didn't deserve to lose but a couple of bad options in the last five minutes and bang goes the game. "I can't believe we lost. We were over the line so many times but that's rugby league, it sorts the men from the boys. "I'm not used to losing. It's all foreign ground to me but I'm confident we'll turn it around."
Catalans Dragons: Greenshields, Duport, Bell, Baile, Pelo, Bosc, Perry, Ryles, McGuire, Fakir, Gossard, Mounis, Bird. Replacements: Ferriol, Guisset, Elima, Casty. Bradford: Platt, Sheriffe, Sykes, Nero, Tadulala, Jeffries, Deacon, Burgess, Newton, Lynch, Menzies, Morrison, Langley. Replacements: Worrincy, Scruton, Kopczak, Halley. Referee: I Smith (Oldham)
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