Super League: Catalans Dragons 12-14 Huddersfield Giants

Jermaine McGillvary scored twice to help Huddersfield to a rare win in Perpignan

Huddersfield Giants gave their top-four hopes a boost with narrow victory in Perpignan against Catalans Dragons.

Jermaine McGillvary's two tries added to three Jamie Ellis goals and helped Giants edge two points clear of local rivals Castleford, who play on Sunday.

Catalans, with converted tries from Krisnan Inu and Morgan Escare, should just cling on to a top-eight spot.

They have a superior points difference to Hull KR, who are the only team who can match their total.

Laurent Frayssinous's side travel to Leeds, the only other team to win at Catalans in 2015, in the final round while Rovers go to St Helens.

Humidity and warm temperatures ensured the game was punctuated by handling errors, and a long stoppage while Elliott Whitehead received treatment after he was knocked out also spoiled the rhythm.

There was no let-up in the ferocity as Remi Casty also went off with an open head wound but quality was at a premium with few chances.

McGillvary was held up but eventually broke the deadlock for the Giants just short of the half-hour when he was released on the right by Cudjoe's pass.

It looked to be enough to secure a half-time lead but Danny Brough was sent to the sin-bin for reacting to a tackle and from the subsequent penalty Escare popped a kick through for Inu to dot down.

The Giants forced a drop-out that Joe Wardle failed to capitalise on when released on the left and Inu scooped the loose ball and raced 40 metres before feeding the supporting Escare who held off the chasing pack to score.

However McGillvary took a pass from Grix to score a second - although it looked to have travelled forward - and Ellis ticked the visitors ahead with a penalty goal.

Dureau missed with an attempt from the tee and the Giants held on for a rare win at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.

Catalans Dragons: Escare; Inu, Gigot, Pomeroy, Sigismeau; Albert, Dureau; Lima, Henderson, Casty, Whitehead, Anderson, Baitieri.

Replacements: Pelissier, Mounis, Garcia, Bousquet.

Huddersfield: Grix; McGillvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, Murphy; Brough, Ellis; Crabtree, Robinson, Huby, Hughes, Ferres, Ta'ai.

Replacements: Lawrence, Kopczak, Wood, Smith.

Referee: Joe Cobb (RFL).