London Broncos stun play-off chasing Catalans

Betfred Super League

London (6) 12

Tries: Jones, Bassett Goals: Leyland 2

Catalans (0) 10

Tries: Wallace, Yaha Goals: Mourgue

Bottom side London Broncos stunned play-off chasing Catalans Dragons to claim only their second Super League win of the season.

The Broncos dominated the first half against a disjointed Dragons and were worth more than their 6-0 half-time lead secured by Jacob Jones’ score and Oli Leyland’s goal.

Jarrod Wallace finally broke the Broncos’ resistance to level, only for Jarred Bassett to quickly restore London’s six-point lead on the hour.

Sam Tomkins’ cross-field kick teed up Fouad Yaha to bring Catalans within two points, but Arthur Mourgue missed the conversion and London held on for an epic win.

The French side had been comfortable 34-0 winners at Plough Lane in the second round of the season against the newly-promoted Broncos.

But in spite of recording four wins from their previous five games, the Dragons had been less than convincing in recent weeks and were undone by improving London whose victory will have second-bottom Hull looking anxiously over their shoulders.

Both sides traded errors in a scruffy and scoreless opening quarter which London largely bossed without threatening the Catalans line, while the Dragons also looked laboured when they forced a spell of pressure in home territory.

The Broncos should have led when Josh Rourke streaked away into the Catalans half with two in support, but the full-back opted to take on last man Tomkins who made a last-ditch challenge.

However, under building Broncos pressure, the deadlock was broken three minutes before the break when Jones burst on to Sam Davis’ crash ball to lunge over between the posts.

Rourke’s brilliant try-saving tackle in the left corner denied the flying Yaha, and Alrix Da Costa was held up over the line as a fired-up Catalans began the second half at a scorching pace.

It was then Bassett’s turn to make a last-ditch try-saving tackle, stopping Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet five metres out, before super scramble defence denied Matthieu Laguerre.

The levelling score finally came after 16 minutes of almost unstinting Catalans pressure when Wallace crashed over under the posts from close range, with Mourgue’s boot tying the scores.

Undeterred, London responded immediately as Leyland’s burst and fine offload from the floor sent Bassett away to make it 12-6.

Tomkins somehow held up Sadiq Adebiyi over the line to stop the hosts going two scores clear, and then unlocked the Broncos’ stubborn defence with a cross-field kick which was palmed back for Yaha to touch down with nine minutes left.

The home fans breathed a sigh of relief as Mourgue’s touchline conversion attempt drifted narrowly wide, and roared on every dogged tackle as the Broncos held on.

London: Rourke, Kershaw, Natoli, Bassett, Miloudi, Leyland, Campagnolo, Stock, S. Davis, Kennedy, Lovell, Adebiyi, Parata.

Interchanges: Jones, Butler, Tison, Storey.

Catalans: Tomkins, Davies, Aispuro-Bichet, Laguerre, Yaha, Fages, Mourgue, Navarrete, Da Costa, Bousquet, Sironen, Seguier, Garcia.

Interchanges: Rouge, Dezaria, Satae, Wallace.

Referee: James Vella.