Leon Pryce: Two first-half tries put Catalan in control
Catalan Dragons withheld a stirring second-half fightback from Hull KR to win their Carnegie Challenge Cup fourth round tie 20-18.
The visitors scored all their points without reply before the break with Leon Pryce crossing twice at Craven Park.
However, Rovers hit back in the second half and actually outscored their opponents, with three missed conversions from Michael Dobson costing his side.
Pryce's seventh-minute effort from close-range silenced the crowd, with no visiting fans in the away end which is being prepared for the new north stand. Scott Dureau's conversion gave the Dragons a 6-0 lead.
Blake Green, making his first appearance of the season after recovering from a blood clot, almost marked his return with a try in the 14th minute, but Phil Bentham ruled his effort out for a knocking on when Green tried to ground the ball.
But most of the action was at the other end and, assisted by errors and penalties by the hosts, Catalan tried hard to get over for their second score, but neither Dureau or his half-back partner Pryce could find a way through.
A forward pass prevented Louis Anderson from getting free, while Setaimata Sa and David Ferriol should have displayed better handling skills when closing in on Rovers' line.
When Catalan opted for two points when presented with a penalty in front of the posts, Dureau knocked over the kick with ease for an 8-0 lead.
Playing into a strong head wind, Rovers looked like getting to half-time just 8-0 down until a moment of brilliance from Pryce.
Anticipating Josh Hodgson was going to jump out from a marker, Pryce chipped through from 30 metres and grounded his own kick untouched. Dureau's conversion made it 14-0.
Catalan were looking good for a place in the fifth round when Ian Henderson went over for Catalan's third try of the half and their second in three minutes.
Dureau judged the wind perfectly to land his fourth goal of the half to leave Rovers 20-0 adrift at the break.
But it was all change thereafter and Scott Taylor started the fightback for Rovers after a superb run from Rhys Lovegrove, whose powerful drive dragged Catalan's defence out of position for Taylor to score.
Dobson converted to bring Rovers back into the game and the try rejuvenated the home side - after a sustained period of pressure on the Dragons' line, Green backed himself to score with his show-and-go move.
Dobson saw his conversion rebound off a post but Green grew in confidence throughout the game and his 40/20 provided the platform for Hodgson to score Rovers' third try of the half down the left wing, spotting a gap from dummy half.
Dobson however, missed his second successive conversion to leave the Robins trailing 20-14.
The try of the game came in the 70th minute when Liam Salter's tackle forced an error from Sa before Craig Hall advanced the ball to the halfway line.
He found Dobson who in turn sent Kris Welham away before delivering the scoring pass for Latus in the left-hand corner.
But Dobson's missed conversion left Catalan still two points in front and the visitors managed to hold on as Rovers' fine fightback fell just short.
Source: http://www1.skysports.com/news/12040/7675706/
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