Dureau’s late kick snatches top spot

SCOTT DURE AU scored a last-minute conversion as Catalans Dragons completed a thrilling comeback to go top of the Stobart Super League.

Catalans had trailed 20-8 at the break, but Daryl Millard completed the recovery with a late try before Dureau kicked the extras.

Leon Pryce (below) was back in town having swapped the famous red ‘V’ of St Helens for the red and yellow of the vibrant Catalans Dragons.

England international Pryce, 30, won everything there is to win at club level, first with Bradford and then in his six seasons with Saints.

But after an injury- dogged 2011 campaign, the mercurial halfback opted to move to the south of France on a three-year deal.

Last night, on his return, Pryce could only watch as Saints’ young pretenders raced into a 20-8 half-time lead.

Those youngsters — Lee Gaskell, Jonny Lomax, Gary Wheeler and Jamie Foster — were well to the fore. Stand- off Gaskell set up Saints’ first try for Foster, and scrum-half Lomax created their second for prop Anthony Laffranchi after Catalans levelled at 6-6 with Remi Casty’s converted touchdown. Understandably, in only his second appearance for his new club, Pryce looked rusty.

There will be plenty more to come but it will take time and Saints continued to dictate play here, with a Foster penalty and then a Gary Wheeler try. A Dureau penalty, right on the hooter for half-time, made it 20-8.

Within four minutes of the restart Saints winger Tommy Makinson scored from Ryan Atkins’ pass and Foster nailed the kick.

Catalans increased the pressure and it brought them a try just short of the hour mark from Damien Blanch. The away side grew in confidence and scored two more tries inside a minute, first from Vincent Duport and then Dureau. Saints relieved the pressure with a fine try by Wheeler only for Setaimata Sa to cross for Catalans before Millard set up the thrilling finale.