Catalans end losing run against poor Castleford

Betfred Super League

Catalans (10) 38

Tries: Smith 3, Yaha, Keary, Aispuro-Bichet, Da Costa Goals: Aispuro-Bichet 4, Seguier

Castleford (4) 4

Reimis Smith grabbed a hat-trick as Catalan Dragons ended a losing run of six Super League games with a comfortable 38-4 victory against a toothless Castleford Tigers at Stade Gilbert Brutus.

Joel Tomkins side had posted just one win in their previous 13 games in all competitions, a run stretching back to a victory against Wakefield Trinity in April.

But against an error-strewn display from Cas, the French side shaded a tight first half before stretching clear with five unanswered tries in the second period with Smith adding his third try seconds before the hooter.

Cas took the lead through 18-year-old debutant Alfie Lindsey assisted by quick hands from Will Tate to go over in the right corner on 13 minutes.

And the visitors way given had several more sights of the Catalan goalline only to fluff their lines when tries beckoned.

They trailed by just one score at 10-4 at the break after the first two of Smith’s touchdowns.

But in the second period Catalans were gifted an opening try when Daejarn Asi missed touch after a penalty was awarded for a high tackle and Fouad Yaha ran in from the following set.

From there to the hooter it was all handling errors, poor decision making and missed tackles by Castleford as Luke Keary, Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet, Alrix Da Costa all crossed and, with the hooter about to sound, Smith added a runaway third.

Catalans: Aispuro-Bichet, Yaha, Laguerre, Smith, Cotric, Keary, Fages, Satae, Da Costa, Maria, Sironen, Garcia, Partington

Interchanges: Navarette, Seguier, Dezaria, Balmforth

Castleford: Windley, Lindsey, Tate, Senior, Wallis, Asi, Atkin, Singleton, Horne, Amone, Simbiken, Mellor, Lawler

Interchanges: Griffin, Robb, Mustapha, Salabio