Super League: Catalans Dragons 13-12 Huddersfield Giants - Sam Tomkins drop-goal gives hosts narrow win

Sam Tomkins has made 15 Super League appearances for Catalans Dragons so far this season

Sam Tomkins kicked a 78th-minute drop-goal to give Catalans Dragons victory over Huddersfield Giants in a thrilling Super League encounter in Perpignan.

Chris McQueen pounced to put the Giants ahead but the hosts responded before the break though Arthur Romano.

Benjamin Jullien crossed for the hosts early in the second half but Danny Levi levelled things up once more.

Will Pryce and Tomkins exchanged penalties late on before Tomkins kicked the winning point in the final stages.

Victory for Les Dracs means they leapfrog the Giants into third place in the Super League table, two points behind second-placed Wigan and six behind leaders St Helens.

Huddersfield took the lead in fortuitous circumstances as McQueen took advantage of Matthieu Laguerre's wayward pass to touch down and stun the hosts inside the first four minutes.

The visitors came into the match without in-form winger Jermaine McGillvary, who is likely to miss the rest of the campaign with a knee injury.

Ian Watson's side defended well and it was 30 minutes before Catalans were able to reply, as Romano went over in the corner courtesy of Dean Whare's offload.

In hot conditions at Stade Gilbert Brutus, neither side were able to add the extras to their solitary first half scores, as they went into the break with a 4-4 stalemate.

Despite Jullien's try briefly putting the Dragons in front, a swift set of passes from the Giants saw McQueen break through their defence to tee up Levi to run through and restore parity.

The Giants lost Olly Russell to an arm injury as the game wound down but they won a penalty which Pryce subsequently kicked.

The Dragons were awarded a penalty of their own just moments later after Tomkins was brought down as he raced to the line and he added the two as the clock ticked down.

But Tomkins swiftly kicked his late drop-goal to cap off a hard-fought performance.

Catalans: Tomkins; Laguerre, Langi, Whare, Romano; Pearce, Drinkwater; Dudson, Da Costa, Seguier, Jullien, Chan, Garcia.

Interchanges: Mourgue, Goudemand, Cozza, Kasiano.

Huddersfield: Pryce; Golding, Cudjoe, King, Senior; Russell, Fages; Greenwood, Levi, Trout, Jones, McQueen, Yates.

Interchanges: Lawrence, English, Wilson, Hewitt.

Referee: James Child.

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