Super League: Table-topping Catalans Dragons cement lead with 42-14 win at Salford

Benjamin Jullien's two first-half tries set Dragons on the way to their 17th win in 19 Super League games this season

Catalans Dragons moved a step closer to a first Super League Leaders' Shield with a comfortable victory at Salford.

Catalans forged a 16-0 lead with three tries from props, two for Benjamin Jullien then one for Mickael Goudemand, only for Salford to score just before the break through Harvey Livett.

But there was time for Sam Kasiano's try to restore the 16-point cushion.

And Dragons added three more after the break from Tom Davies, Joe Chan and Samisoni Langi in the dying seconds.

James Maloney kicked seven goals to complete their 17th win in 19 games, while Salford replied with second-half tries from Dan Sarginson and Morgan Escare.

But the hosts were left to rue the try Escare had chalked off for obstruction just after the break against his old club when Salford were down to 12 men after a yellow card for Michael McIlorum.

Dragons' first win at the AJ Bell Stadium since 2016 was sparked by Jullien's first-half double.

The first came in the 10th minute when he took a well-timed pass from Maloney.

He then got his second 14 minutes before half-time, picking up a loose Salford pass to race in from 40 metres.

Goudemand scored from close range by the posts before Danny Addy and Tui Lolohea combined well to send Livett over in the corner.

But Dragons forward Sam Kasiano hit a short ball at tremendous pace to thunder over to make it 22-6 at the break.

After Sarginson had won the race to ground the ball for the hosts' second try, McIlorum's high tackle on Ryan Lannon earned Salford a 10-minute man advantage.

But it was Catalans who instead extended their lead with a Maloney penalty, then winger Tom Davies scored their fifth try in the 57th minute.

Maloney converted brilliantly from the touchline before Sam Tomkins set up try number six for Chan.

Salford claimed their third try through former Catalans full-back Escare, although Kristian Inu failed with the conversion, before Langi's close-range try wrapped it up, with Maloney adding the extra two points.

Salford coach Richard Marshall:

"We responded really well to losing against Leigh. The 'team first' mentality was there even though the scoreboard suggests differently.

"It was one of our better attacking displays of the season, but defensively we got broken down through the middle too easily. We made great inroads with the ball.

"Catalans are a big physical team and they managed to get over the top of us. The scoreline suggests it was a bit of a toweling, but it was far from that."

Catalans boss Steve McNamara:

"Our leaders really stepped up. The likes of Sam Tomkins, Josh Drinkwater, James Maloney and Micky Mcllorum.

"They know when they need to step forward and I sensed that in the preparation. We had just two sessions before the game having got clearance on Monday to train on Tuesday.

"Obviously we are in a good position, but the likes of Saints and Warrington are running into form. We have just got to keep ticking the games off."

Salford: Escare; Sio, Inu, Sarginson, Williams; Lolohea, Atkin; Ormondroyd, Ackers, Johnson, Livett, Lannon, Burke.

Interchanges: Luckley, Roberts, Robson, Addy.

Catalans Dragons: S Tomkins; Davies, Laguerre, Langi, Yaha; Drinkwater, Maloney; Goudemand, McMeeken, Jullien, Dezaria, McIlorum, Bousquet.

Interchanges: Mourgue, Cozza, Chan, Kasiano.

Sin-bin: McIlorum (46)

Referee: Liam Moore.

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