Castleford held off a Catalans comeback to earn a third successive Super League victory with a 24-18 win at The Mend-A-Hose Jungle.
The Tigers came into the match off the back of two straight wins and they performed like a side in form when Liam Horne crossed either side of Jacob Miller’s put down which had them 18 points up, but Tom Johnstone’s reply for the Dragons pulled them back into the contest heading into the break.
Catalans needed to improve in the second period and Matt Ikuvalu cut the deficit further before Arthur Mourgue found the whitewash to cancel out the 18-point lead but Tex Hoy dotted down for a third win on the spin.
The home side were first to strike in the sixth minute as Mourgue failed to deal with Rowan Milnes’ long and hopeful kick forward, Horne acted quickly to dab down in goal just in the nick of time.
Castleford looked dangerous through the early quarter and fully took advantage while on top. Innes Senior used strength and speed to pull away down the left and fed in Miller who had an easy path to the try line and make it 12-0.
Sluggish Catalans could not deal with relentless Castleford – the home side thought they had a third when Jason Qareqare flew over in the corner but referee Marcus Griffiths judged Hoy’s pass to go forward.
Catalans’ first real threat sparked through Tariq Sims when he powered through the line but knocked the ball on with just a man to beat.
Castleford made the visitors pay from the handover – Cain Robb rather easily walked through a weak Dragons line and Horne was waiting on the inside to give the home side a commanding 18-point lead inside 25 minutes.
It took 31 minutes but Catalans were finally on the scoreboard after Jordan Abdull’s high bomb was well collected and put down by Johnstone to cut the deficit to 12 but the winger was forced off the field at the end of the half.
Catalans started the second half with more intensity and after a couple of menacing sets, they got the try they deserved after they worked it from right to left, Ikuvalu bullied his way over the whitewash.
The Tigers were next to come close in the 57th minute as they ran it through the hands, Corey Hall’s last-second pass looked to have unlocked Qareqare in the corner but Catalans scrambled across to usher the winger in touch.