Super League: Catalans Dragons 40-40 Salford Red Devils

Josh Griffin moved from Castleford and joined older brother Darrell at Salford this season

Salford rescued a draw in an 80-point thriller against Catalan Dragons with a 79th-minute Josh Griffin penalty.

Junior Sa'u, Griffin, Cory Paterson and Tommy Lee crossed to put Salford 22-0 up inside 19 minutes.

Tries from Zeb Taia, Vincent Duport and Ben Pomeroy made it 22-18 at the break.

Catalans added further tries by Pomeroy, Michael Oldfield, Elliot Whitehead and Ian Henderson, but Theo Fages, Rangi Chase and Paterson kept the Devils in it before Griffin's kick.

Catalans also suffered a major injury setback, with former International Player of the Year Todd Carney suffering a broken rib following a late tackle by Lama Tasi.

Salford are the only side to leave Stade Gilbert Brutus with anything this season with Catalans winning both home matches to date.

Sa'u gave the Red Devils the ideal start and Griffin converted his own effort before adding the extras after Fages put Patterson over.

Salford then punished Catalans after they conceded a penalty from the ensuing kick-off, with Lee running in the Red Devils' fourth unanswered score.

Carney helped orchestrate the Dragons' response, setting Taia up for their first try.

Dureau added the extras and further reduced the deficit after converting tries from Duport and Pomeroy.

Fages raced away for Salford's fifth try after the break, only for Pomeroy to barge over for his second in reply.

Impressive half-back Chase increased the visitors' lead with his first try of the season but again Catalans battled back, with Oldfield meeting a Dureau kick to score in the corner.

Dureau teed up another two kicks to make it 32-32, but he decisively he failed to convert Whitehead and Henderson tries that followed.

Patterson grabbed his second of the game after Salford reclaimed the ball from a kick-off and Griffin coolly slotted the extras then secured a point in the south of France after Morgan Escare was punished for an incorrect play of the ball.

Catalans Dragons coach Laurent Frayssinous:

"We should have had one more point in the league - we should have six points tonight and we have only five, so I don't know what the RFL will do because it happens every season for the Dragons.

"My thoughts are that it is not a penalty, I saw the last four rounds and it has happened that the teams go back and play the ball.

"It is not acceptable, the same as it is not acceptable that there is a late tackle on Todd Carney that has left him in the hospital with a broken rib.

"Defensively it is very frustrating for us, to concede 40 points and the way that we conceded them. We knew Salford are a great team with the ball but it is hard to swallow to concede 40 points at home."

Salford Red Devils head coach Iestyn Harris:

"To come away from Catalans and get a point is really pleasing, to concede 40 points is not.

"We didn't handle the periods when they had momentum. I think if we had managed that, we would have won the game rather convincingly. We need to work on our game-management skills.

"With us being eight points behind with five minutes to go, if someone offered those circumstances and to take a point, I think there are a lot of teams who would take a point in those situations."

Catalans Dragons: Escare; Oldfield, Pomeroy, Tonga, Duport; Carney, Dureau; Anderson, Henderson, Lima, Taia, Whitehead, Mounis.

Replacements: Elima, Garcia, Bousquet, Baitieri.

Salford Red Devils: Locke; Johnson, Sa'u, Paterson, J Griffin; Chase, Fages; Taylor, Lee, Tasi, Hansen, Hauraki, J Walne.

Replacements: Morley, D Griffin, A Walne, Hood.

Referee: Phil Bentham