Super League: St Helens 26-12 Catalans Dragons

Regan Grace has scored two tries in each of St Helens' last two games

Regan Grace scored his fifth try in three games as Super League leaders St Helens easily beat Catalans Dragons.

Full-back Jonny Lomax latched on to Tommy Makinson's grubber kick to score before the winger crossed soon after.

Brayden Wiliame cut the deficit but Morgan Knowles scored moments later for Saints to extend their lead.

Grace scored for Saints either side of Jodie Broughton's second half try before Lewis Tierney's clinched a third score for the visitors late on.

St Helens go four points clear of second-placed Wigan, but the Cherry and Whites have two games in hand.

Catalans had been looking to make it two Super League wins in a row after their 25-24 victory over Hull FC moved them off the bottom of the table last time around, but struggled to get enough points on the board at a subdued Totally Wicked Stadium.

Broughton's second-half score, his 99th career Super League try, gave the visitors hope of getting back into the game however Grace wrapped up the win for Saints with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Full-back Ben Barba was also included in Saints' 19-man squad for the game, having been cleared of serious injury following his early exit on a stretcher in the thumping win at Salford.

However Barba, Super League's top scorer with 15 tries this season, was not named in the Saints 17 to face the Perpignan club.

St Helens boss Justin Holbrook told BBC Radio Merseyside:

"It was a good one to win. I didn't think the game was good. I don't think either side got out of first gear.

"We weren't at our best but it was always a tough game to come into off the back of two really good performances and a lot was expected of us.

"You can't be at your best every week but we still did enough to win and that is the main thing."

Catalans Dragons head coach Steve McNamara:

"I'm disappointed because it was an opportunity lost. I thought we had a great chance.

"Saints have been fabulous in the last few weeks but they were a bit off their standard and there was an opportunity there, but we didn't quite find our rhythm in attack to do enough damage.

"The effort was good and the players tried really hard but we didn't have enough connection in attack to put Saints under pressure."

St Helens: Lomax, Makinson, Morgan, Percival, Grace, Fages, Richardson, Amor, Roby, Thompson, Peyroux, Taia, Wilkin.

Replacements: Smith, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Douglas, Knowles.

Catalans: Gigot, Broughton, Duport, Wiliame, Tierney, Langi, Drinkwater, Casty, McIlorum, Bousquet, Anderson, Jullien, Bird.

Replacements: Moa, Baitieri, Maria, Da Costa.

Referee: Rob Hicks.