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36 minutes ago
Betfred Super League
Salford (10) 16
Tries: Darbyshire, Tchamambe 2 Goals: Milnes 2
Catalans (4) 17
Tries: Aispuro-Bichet, Dezaria, Balmforth Goals: Aispuro-Bichet 2 Drop goal: Tison
Salford were all but condemned to finishing bottom of Super League by a 17-16 home defeat to 12-man Catalans Dragons.
Jack Darbyshire’s converted try and Neil Tchamambe’s score either side of Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet’s reply sent the home side into a 10-4 lead at the break.
Dragons were forced to play the last 46 minutes with 12 after Franck Maria was sent off for a challenge on Emmanuel Waine, but they levelled before the hour through Jordan Dezaria.
Denive Balmforth put Catalans ahead for the first time with 15 minutes left before Ugo Tison added a drop goal which proved the match-winner when Tchamambe added a last-gasp second try.
Catalans’ form was as abject as the Red Devils, and the hosts would have had hope of back-to-back wins for the first time this season against a French side which had lost 13 of their previous 15.
But a disappointing 22nd defeat of the campaign leaves Salford four points and a vastly inferior points difference behind second-bottom Castleford with just two games to go.
Results on the pitch are perhaps of secondary importance to what is going on off it, with the High Court this week adjourning a winding-up petition for a second time which will at least allow them to limp to the end of the season.
Yet despite the turbulence, Paul Rowley’s side again showed plenty of fight and commitment only to let slip a lead while holding a man advantage for the entire second half.
The hosts needed a try-saving tackle from Sam Davis on Bayley Sironen early on, but crossed first when Rowan Milnes sent Leon Ruan through a gap and his offload allowed Darbyshire to slide over on the left edge.
The Catalans turned up the pressure, with Aispuro-Bichet going over in the right corner after a slick move.
Yet within four minutes, the hosts hit back again as Olly Russell’s big tackle dislodged the ball from Aispuro-Bichet’s grasp and Isaac Shaw flicked the loose ball to Tchamambe to dot down.
The Dragons’ task grew harder when Maria was shown a red card for a poor challenge on Waine which saw the Salford interchange stretchered off.
Yet it was the away side who emerged the stronger after the break and levelled when Dezaria crossed and Aispuro-Bichet converted.
Salford trailed for the first time when Marsters dropped the ball, allowing Balmforth to run to the posts before Tison’s drop goal sent the visitors two scores clear.
The Red Devils’ fight was summed up when Tchamambe went over in the final minute and Milnes’ conversion brought them back within a point, but it was too little, too late.
Salford: Walker; Connell, Darbyshire, Tchamambe, Marsters; Mellor, Milnes; Lewis, Davis, Sangare, Ruan, Russell, Wilson.
Interchanges: Murphy, Chan, Waine, Shaw.
Catalans: Aispuro-Bichet; Marc, Laguerre, Smith, Cotric; Tison, Rouge; Seguier, Da Costa, Navarrete, Sironen, Garcia, Pangai Jnr.
Interchanges: Romano, Dezaria, Maria, Balmforth.
Referee: Matty Lynn.
