St Helens (10) 20
Tries: Wellens, Meli 2, Gaskell Goals: Lomax 2
Catalans (24) 30
Tries: Carlaw, Greenshields 2, McGuire, Sherwin Goals: Bosc 5

Greenshields took his haul of Super League tries to seven for the season

Bottom club Catalans stunned injury-ravaged title hopefuls St Helens with a remarkable four-try first-half flurry to earn a shock win at Knowsley Road.

Saints twice led with tries from Paul Wellens and Francis Meli only for the Dragons to hit back with a devastating burst to lead 24-10 at the break.

After Dane Carlaw's opener, full-back Clint Greenshields touched down twice, either side of Casey McGuire's effort.

And Brent Sherwin added a further try after the break as Dragons held on.

First-choice Saints half-backs Leon Pryce and Kyle Eastmond joined the club's lengthy injury list during last weekend's agonising defeat to Leeds.

The absences forced coach Mick Potter to name rookie debutant Lee Gaskell, 19, at stand-off, with Jon Wilkin back in the side at scrum-half alongside him after a 12-match injury absence.

Despite their shortage of bodies, Saints led inside the sixth minute when James Roby found Wilkin and his flat pass sent Wellens crashing over.

Jonny Lomax, preferred ahead of Ade Gardner on the right flank, added the conversion but the Dragons replied three minutes later when Carlaw caught Saints cold, galloping through a gap to the right channel to breach the home line.

In the 27th minute, the hosts went back in front when Wilkin collected a pass from Scott Moore and flighted a high kick into the left corner.

Meli leapt highest to gather possession for a try which Lomax narrowly failed to convert from close to the touchline.

But Catalans hit back to stun Saints with three tries in seven minutes.

Bosc's clever hanging kick allowed Greenshields to touch down and then a teasing grubber from Bosc saw McGuire dive full length to ground the ball.

The Dragons' best try came shortly before the break as some fine passing down the right channel ripped Saints apart, allowing Greenshields to go over for his second try.

Not surprisingly, Saints upped the tempo immediately after the restart and, in the 50th minute, Moore's pass sent Gaskell over the line from close range.

Lomax added the extras to cut Catalans' lead to eight points. But the visitors hit back again four minutes later when another fine passing sequence culminated in Carlaw ushering Sherwin over the line.

Bosc maintained his 100 per cent record with the boot, only for Saints to respond again when Meli burrowed his way over in the left corner for his second try.

But Lomax again failed to convert as Catalans held on with relative comfort.

Saints were booed off at the final whistle, a worrying footnote for coach Mick Potter being that it was the fourth time this season that his side have conceded 30 points or more on home soil.

St Helens coach Mick Potter:
"Our injury list makes it difficult but it's no excuse because we should have done better. Catalans were better than us in most facets of the game.

"They kicked better than us, they executed their plays better than us and we need to get better pretty quickly.

"We have to show more urgency and while there are things to work on or keep talking about, sometimes the penny has to drop.

"However, I thought Lee Gaskell did very well and I think there's a bright future ahead for him."

Catalans coach Kevin Walters:
"They're all quality players, as good as anyone floating around in this competition.

"We're getting these guys back and we got a result to build on.

"Everyone needs to understand that we've had an injury crisis, too.

"It's been a lean season in Super League and for us to beat Saints tonight, we're very happy."

St Helens: Wellens, Lomax, Gidley, Dean, Meli, Gaskell, Wilkin, Graham, Roby, Fozzard, Ashurst, Flannery, Clough.
Replacements: Gardner, Puletua, Hargreaves, Moore.

Catalans Dragons: Greenshields, Bell, Raguin, Carlaw, Stacul, Bosc, Sherwin, Casty, McGuire, Guisset, Gossard, Mounis, Johnson.
Replacements: Fakir, Gigot, Simon, A Bentley.

Referee: Ian Smith (Oldham).

Attendance: 8,442.

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