Super League: Catalans Dragons 26-12 Hull FC - Jayden Nikorima sets hosts up for victory

Catalans Dragons win over Hull FC moved them up to third in the Super League table

Jayden Nikorima scored a try after just 36 seconds to set Catalans Dragons up for victory against Hull FC.

Nikorima's touchdown, as well as Matthieu Laguerre's try and Arthur Mourgue's penalty put Dragons 14-6 up at half-time in Perpignan.

Fa'amanu Brown's try gave Hull hope, and Jack Walker's score after the break closed the gap to two points.

Tries from Mourgue and Tom Davies after that sealed Dragons' third Super League victory of the season.

The win moves Catalans up to third in the early season table, with the top six clubs all equal on six points.

Defeat leaves Hull FC ninth with one win from four games.

Mike McMeeken was quick to rattle Hull, crashing through the visitors' defensive line to set Nikorima up for the game's first try inside the opening minute.

The hosts doubled their advantage through Laguerre just minutes after the TV match official denied Lewis Martin a Hull response, with replays showing the winger failed to ground the ball in the wet conditions in the south of France.

Hull FC eventually hit back when Jordan Lane's grubber kick, which the back-rower failed to get down himself, was pounced on by Brown for their first points of the evening.

Jack Ashworth was then sent to the sin-bin for his hit on Dragons' Chris Satae late in the first half and, while Darnell McIntosh and Morgan Smith combined for a try-saving tackle on Davies - and Tariq Sims was later held up over the line - Catalans did add to their first-half lead with a Mourgue penalty.

After the interval, a Tex Hoy pass that was inadvertently helped on by the head of Carlos Tuimavave found Walker out wide to cross for the visitors.

It was as close at the Black and Whites would get at Stade Gilbert Brutus, with Mourgue scurrying over before Walker linked up with Theo Fages to complete the victory.

Hull FC were also left to count the cost of defeat, with head coach Tony Smith confirming Matty Russell tore a pectoral muscle and Walker hurt his hamstring scoring his side's second try.

Catalans coach Steve McNamara:

"That was a tough game in unusually wet and heavy conditions, and the players on both sides are feeling the effects tonight.

"Jayden (Nikorima) has pulled a hamstring, Chris Satae passed his HIA (Head Injury Assessment) at half-time, but the medical staff thought it best to keep him off for the rest of the game.

"Alrix Da Costa has failed a concussion test and we've got so many players in that dressing room with tightness and strains - the downpour affected that game so much.

"It was a hard game. We trained all week to improve certain aspects of our attack which I thought we did, but it was a difficult night to play in a clean attacking style.

"Hull put us under pressure and were in the ascendancy at times, but we found the strength to finish them off and that is a good sign for us going forward.

"We needed to respond tonight following the defeat at Leeds and we did."

Hull FC boss Tony Smith told BBC Radio Humberside:

"I'm disappointed, not with the effort, with how many penalties we are conceding and how many times we let our opponents out of their own half and quarter too easily.

"It's costing us, it's hurting us and we were in a scrap there.

"We got another sin-bin against one of the really good teams in the competition and we had to fight really hard. And, gee, we showed a lot of spirit once again.

"They are playing tough at the moment, but it catches up with you at the back end of games and teams that are too good, like Catalans, will score some points on you.

"But I'm pleased with the way we are scrapping, there is character there."

Catalans Dragons: Nikorima, Davies, Ikuvalu, Laguerre, Johnstone, Abdull, Fages, Navarrete, Da Costa, Bousquet, Sims, McMeeken, Garcia.

Interchanges: Mourgue, Seguier, Satae, Dezaria.

Hull FC: Walker, Russell, Tuimavave, McIntosh, Martin, Smith, F Brown, Ese'ese, Houghton, Sao, Okunbor, Staveley, Lane.

Interchanges: Ashworth, Bullock, Gardiner, Hoy.

Referee: Jack Smith.

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