Catalans Dragons survived a strong Castleford comeback to see-off the Tigers 39-30 at the Stade Gilbert Brutus down in Perpignan.
Catalans Dragons survived a strong Castleford comeback to see-off the Tigers 39-30 at the Stade Gilbert Brutus down in Perpignan.
The home side bounced out of the traps and dominated the first 40 minutes to build up what looked like an unassailable 30-6 lead by half time, but the Tigers came bouncing back.
The visitors had pulled two tries back within seven minutes of the re-start, and with two more later on they had reduced the gap down to just a converted try at 36-30 with just nine minutes left.
Thomas Bosc popped up with a timely drop-goal seven minutes from the end to ease some of the French nerves, and his penalty three minutes from time killed off the Castleford comeback.
Bosc kicked seven goals and one drop-goal in all to go along with the six tries the Dragons scored through six different scorers.
Daryl Millard crossed the whitewash after just three minutes, and he was followed by Vincent Duport, Louis Anderson, Steve Menzies and Morgan Escare in their rampant first half display.
Jordan Thompson got the Tigers on the board after just eight minutes to level early on, but they were left shell-shocked by the Catalans onslaught as they failed to score again in the first half.
After re-grouping during the interval, Thompson crossed again on 45 minutes and Justin Carney followed him over just two minutes later.
Eloi Pelissier then responded for Catalans but Castleford were on a roll and Daryl Clarke got another try back before Carney's second, converted by Jamie Ellis, made it a six-point game.
Bosc had the final say though as Castleford pushed for a dramatic finish, and his two kicks secured the win for the hosts.