Super League: Catalans Dragons 36-6 Wakefield Trinity - Tom Johnstone punishes former club

Tom Johnstone now has five tries against his former club Wakefield this season

Winger Tom Johnstone punished his old club Wakefield with two tries to help Catalans back to winning ways and into third place in the Super League table.

Johnstone followed up an opening round hat-trick against winless Trinity with a double for Steve McNamara's side.

Cesar Rouge, Mike McMeeken, Arthur Mourgue and Tanguy Zenon also scored as Catalans put last week's Challenge Cup loss against Warrington behind them.

Liam Kay replied for Trinity, who have lost all 14 games in all competitions.

With 86 tries in 116 games in their colours, which might well have been more if it were not for serious injuries, Trinity knew all about the threat of Johnstone and he showed all his class to finish off chances for the Dragons.

His pace and power appear undimmed by the hamstring and knee issues he has battled with as both his long-distance scores testified, and with the quality of his finishes he has already become a key figure in the Dragons backline.

Tyrone May had his fingerprints on pretty much all of Catalans' key moments, as he and Rouge combined in the halves in the absence of Mitchell Pearce and Sam Tomkins, with McMeeken put through by one such pass.

Trinity and head coach Mark Applegarth have had little to cheer this season with point-scoring proving difficult with five shutouts so far this season, something avoided here thanks to a sublime cut-out ball from Mason Lino to put Kay over.

With half-back signing Luke Gale potentially fit for Magic Weekend there may be some positive news ahead, but Wakefield are reliant on Castleford continuing to struggle above them - with just two wins of their own.

Catalans head coach Steve McNamara:

"I'm happy, but it wasn't perfect, we've had a difficult week since the Warrington game. We lost a lot of energy after that and it was difficult to recuperate.

"But we were good in spells tonight and I'm pleased after a difficult week.

"We were just OK, we conceded only one try but we had little intent.

"We will need a much better approach against a very good Wigan team next week in the Magic Round."

Wakefield head coach Mark Applegarth:

"We were our own worst enemies at times, we came up with 18 errors in that game, it gave us 102 extra tackles to make.

"You won't win a match against Catalans like that.

"But you've got to have self-belief and we thought we could come here and win tonight and after that first 20 minutes it was beginning to show on the field.

"There's only us that can get us out of this situation. It stings, it hurts, and there are a lot of dejected bodies in that dressing room and it's my job to pick them up and get them back out there against Leigh next week."

[On possible return of David Fifita to the club] "We are looking into it, he would be an incredible boost for our squad.

"We're down on numbers and it looks like Kelepi Tanginoa has broken his arm so we really need the numbers."

Catalans: Mourgue; Yaha, Romano, Ikuvalu, Johnstone; May, Rouge; Bousquet, McIlorum, Navarrete, Whitley, McMeeken, Garcia.

Interchanges: Goudemand, Taukeiaho, Dezaria, Zenon, [Seguier].

Wakefield: Jowitt; Kay, Croft, Dagger, Taufua; Smith, Lino; Proctor, Hood, Bowden, Tanginoa, Ashurst, Pitts.

Interchanges: Bowes, Battye, Crowther, Eseh, [Pratt].

Referee: Ben Thaler.

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