Super League: Leigh Leopards 14-30 Catalans Dragons - Leaders beat Challenge Cup winners

Tom Davies scored the first of three unanswered second half tries for Super League leaders Catalans Dragons

Catalans Dragons staged a second half revival to beat Challenge Cup winners Leigh Leopards and restore their four-point lead at the top of Super League.

Seven days after their Wembley win over Hull KR, Tom Amone and Ben Nakubuwai helped Leigh to a 14-12 interval lead.

But scores from Tom Davies, Tyrone May and Manu Ma'u turned it around to back up first half scores from Mitchell Pearce and Paul Seguier.

Defeat leaves the Leopards in fourth, six points behind the Dragons.

Leigh have had an emotional week following their dramatic golden point extra-time success in the Challenge Cup, but they are firmly in contention for a play-off spot.

The Leythers need look no further than the French club as an example, as they used the platform of their own Challenge Cup success in 2018 to now regularly compete at the top end of Super League.

With Mike McMeeken yellow carded early on for a late shot on John Asiata, Leigh grabbed the first try as prop Amone powered through to the line.

Catalans had been subdued but two tries in four minutes turned the game around with scrum half Pearce to the fore.

First, the Australian touched down his own little kick before his sharp pass allowed Seguier to crash through Lachlan Lam for a second try.

But Catalans were again reduced to 12 with Michael McIlorum sin binned for another high hit on Asiata and Nakubuwai's converted try restored the home side's lead at the interval.

Adam Keighran had a try disallowed by the video official after failing to ground the ball cleanly but there was no such problem as Davies grounded May's clever low kick.

Catalans were starting to build more concerted pressure on Leigh, who were beginning to feel the effects from what had happened at Wembley.

That showed as May side-stepped two players to put his team more than a score ahead.

And Ma'u, one of four players returning to the Catalans squad, put the seal on the two points as they scored 18 unanswered points after the break.

They can now prepare to welcome second placed Wigan Warriors to Perpignan next Saturday as they try to secure the League Leaders' shield.

For Leigh, who paraded the Challenge Cup after the game, there is a six-point cushion over the teams below them.

They still remain well placed to make the play-offs and keep alive the possibility of a remarkable Challenge Cup and Grand Final double.

Leigh Leopards head coach Adrian Lam told BBC Radio Manchester:

"I'm proud of the team and I don't want to look on this as a downer.

"It's been an enjoyable two weeks and in the second half you could see us a bit out of gas but I don't want to make any excuses as I'm really, really proud of the team.

"There are five games to go and there is still a lot to play for, so we just have to protect the players."

Catalans Dragons head coach Steve McNamara said:

"That's a tremendous effort against a very good team. We knew it was a dangerous game today after Leigh won the Challenge Cup a week ago.

"We were patient, strong and composed - this is a big, big win for us.

"Leigh have been very tough to play - six years ago we were playing them in the Million Pound Game. Suddenly we find ourselves battling it out at the top of Super League."

Leigh: O'Brien; Briscoe, Gildart, Hardaker, Charnley; Reynolds, Lam; Amone, Mellor, Mulhern, Hughes, O'Donnell, Wardle.

Interchanges: Nakubuwai, Asiata, Ipape, Davis.

Catalans: Tomkins; Davies, Keighran, Romano, Johnstone; May, Pearce; McMeeken, McIlorum, Navarrete, Whitley, Seguier, Garcia.

Interchanges: Bousquet, Goudemand, Mourge, Ma'u.

Sin-bin: McMeeken (15), McIlorum (38)

Referee: Jack Smith.

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