York run in five tries for dream win over Catalans

Betfred Super League

Catalans (16) 16

Tries: Darrelatour 3 Goals: Aispuro-Bichet 2

York (12) 28

Tries: Field, Noafoaluma, Harris, Galeano, Vaughan Goals: Hunter 4

York Knights enjoyed a dream night in the south of France as they ran in five tries to beat Catalans Dragons for the first time in Perpignan.

It looked ominous for the Knights when dashing young Dragons winger Leo Darrelatour crossed inside four minutes, then added a second try for a 10-0 lead on 18 minutes.

But Oli Field pulled one back with his fifth try of the season, improved by Cody Hunter.

And, when David Noafoaluma went in at the left corner, Hunter kicked the goal for a 10-12 lead.

Right on half-time, Darrelatour went almost the length of the field at the Stade Gilbert Brutus for his hat-trick, and Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet kicked his second goal for a 16-12 half-time lead.

But, incredibly, the Dragons then shut out Catalans for the entire second half to earned an eighth league win of the season.

York cheekily took the lead again for the second time on the night on 52 minutes when half-back Liam Harris went 70 yards, then went further ahead on 64 minutes when Scott Galeano went off the right step for his side's fourth try, again improved by Hunter.

And, although they were hampered by a late sin-binning for Jesse Dee, Knights sent their army of travelling fans into French rapture when Paul Vaughan's 79th-minute try completed the scoring.

It completed a first victory for York on their fifth visit to this stadium - their first in Super League - and lifts them up to 10th in the standings, just a place and four points below Catalans.

York Knights head coach Mark Applegarth told BBC Radio York:

"It was not our best start but we showed some great character and spirit. It's all about defending that try line.

"You can't bottle that stuff up that we showed at the end there. That's all about showing up for your mates and finding a way to win. I'm really proud of them.

"It's about managing games. We need to be a bit smarter. And, when we do that, we'll be a dangerous team.

"We've been on a long run of learning lessons but, at the same time, you don't want to lose that cavalier approach. It's all about when to turn on the swagger and when to roll your sleeves up and earn the right to play."

Catalans: Staines; Darrelatour, Martin, Aispuro-Bichet, Makinson; Sexton, Dodd; Allen, Leeming, Navarrete, Garcia, Rogers-Smith, Da Costa.

Interchanges: Bousquet, Laguerre, Descalzi, Delarose.

York: Mata'afa; Jones-Bishop, Galeano, Wood, Noafoaluma; Hunter, Harris; Thompson, McShane, Vaughan, Dee, Field, Hingano.

Interchanges: Balmforth, Va'a, Martin, Foster.

Sin-bin: Dee (73).