Wigan (10) 24
Tries: Carmont, Richards 2, Roberts, Goulding Goals: Richards 2
Dragons (12) 22
Tries: Bell, Elima, Bird, Pelo Goals: Bosc 3

Darrell Goulding marked his return for Wigan with a key score as the injury-hit Warriors struck late to beat the Catalans Dragons.

Goulding, recalled from a loan spell at Salford this week, scored on 73 minutes after the Dragons had led 22-14.

Steve Bell and Olivier Elima shocked Wigan with a two-try burst just before the break to give them a 12-10 lead.

Greg Bird and Dimitri Pelo looked to have given the Dragons the win before Pat Richards and then Goulding struck.

Wigan's third win in a row lifts them up to fifth and virtually ends the Dragons' hopes of a play-off place.

Wigan showed their danger after four minutes when Richards had a try disallowed for a forward pass but the Dragons conceded a series of penalties which allowed the home side to build pressure, and it was no surprise when George Carmont gave them the lead after 22 minutes.

Thomas Leuluai set up the score and he did the same moments later for Richards to cross for the first of his two efforts with Clint Greenshields being sent to the sin-bin for dissent.

Bell and Pelo led the Dragons revival and in between the tries, which were both converted by Thomas Bosc, Leuluai was sin-binned, also for dissent

Wigan began the second half strongly with Amos Roberts going over, but Richards missed the conversion and the misses began to look costly when Catalans hit back with their third try almost straight away.

The controversial Bird, who only returned from a court case in Australia earlier in the day, won the race to Bosc's cleverly-judged grubber kick and the scrum-half kicked his third goal to put his side 18-14 ahead.

On the hour, Jean-Philippe Baile escaped from a couple of tackles and Pelo produced a wonderful pick-up to score, although Bosc missed the extras and the Dragons' lead was cut to just two points five minutes later when Wigan exposed a gap for Richards to go over.

There were signs of fatigue setting in among the visitors' ranks and Wigan took full advantage when Phelps produced another superbly-timed pass to get Goulding over for the winner.

Wigan coach Brian Noble:

"I'm really pleased with our character in the last 20 minutes. We showed resilience to come from two scores down.

"I thought when we executed on the edges we looked very good. I was disappointed with some of the things we did defensively but we can fix them up in the week.

"The last 20 minutes showed that our character is intact. Maybe at the start of the year we would have lost that arm wrestle."

Catalans coach Kevin Walters:

"We should have won but they fought back well. They're a very steely side and in the end they were just too good for us. I thought the last 10 minutes for us were pretty telling.

"The penalties are always a concern. Most of them were warranted. We had a chat about our discipline at half-time and we were better in the second half but not quite where we need to be to beat the good teams.

"I think Wigan are in that category. I think where they are in the ladder defies how good they really are."

Wigan: Phelps, Roberts, Goulding, Carmont, Richards, S. Tomkins, Leuluai, Coley, Riddell, Prescott, Bailey, Hansen, J. Tomkins.
Replacements: Fielden, Paleaaesina, Pryce, Mossop.

Catalans Dragons: Greenshields, Bell, Croker, Baile, Pelo, Bird, Bosc, Ferriol, McGuire, Guisset, Elima, Gossard, Ryles.
Replacements: Casty, Fakir, Mounis, Perry.

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