Super League: Catalans Dragons 14-6 Leigh Leopards - Les Dracs make it two wins from two

Tom Johnstone has now scored four tries in two games for Catalans Dragons this season

Catalans Dragons edged out Leigh Leopards to earn a second win from two Super League Games.

Tom Johnstone crossed just before the break to give the hosts an eight-point lead at half-time.

Joe Wardle got Leigh in it after the restart but Mickael Goudemand padded out Les Dracs' lead on 66 minutes.

Leigh kept the pressure on as they sought a late comeback, but Catalans held on to consign the Leopards to their second successive defeat.

The French side began their 2023 campaign with victory over Wakefield, with Johnstone scoring a hat-trick of tries against his former club.

He picked up where he left off as he opened the scoring against the Leopards, running in at the corner at the end of what had been a tight opening half at Stade Gilbert Brutus.

Wardle gave the Dragons plenty to think about when he worked onto Lachlan Lam's kick to goal and touched down to bring them within two points of the hosts.

But Goudemand extended Catalans' cushion as they took advantage of a set restart to cross for their second as time wound down.

Catalans Dragons boss Steve McNamara:

"We've had the worst week ever with sickness and infections from injuries sustained in our first game at Wakefield.

"We've lost a number of players, so to do that against a very good Leigh side was incredible.

"There's plenty of blood around in the changing room again, the scabs are all off again, we've got seven players on antibiotics from last week so most of the team weren't feeling too great before kick-off.

"We knew it would be tough, Leigh performed well last week against Salford and were perhaps unfortunate, but they've got some quality players in their team."

Leigh Leopards coach Adrian Lam:

"I'm very proud of the team, but I'm very frustrated too because we got ourselves in positions there where we could have won.

"We lacked a bit of game management and that hurt us, but we're close and, while I thought we deserved to win, we didn't but that's part of the growth within our group.

"We've just got to look after ourselves and stay within the bubble. We had eight players making their debut last week, so we're going to be a bit rusty for the first part of the season.

"It's hard to see if there is any success there in front of us when we're emotionally caught up in the now and the moment of loss, but we're working hard to turn the corner soon and we've just got to stick together."

Catalans: Mourgue; Johnstone, Keighran, Laguerre, Davies; Tomkins, Rouge; Garcia, Goudemand, Seguier, Navarrete, McIlorum, Bousquet.

Interchanges: Chan, Romano, Dezaria, Scimone, Zenon.

Leigh: O'Brien; Briscoe, Hardaker, Leutele, Charnley; Reynolds, Lam; Amone, Smith, Mulhern, Wardle, Hughes, Asiata.

Interchanges: Nakubuwai, O'Donnell, Seumanufagai, Davis, Chamberlain.

Referee: T. Grant.

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