Wakefield Trinity fall agonisingly short in battling fight back against Catalans Dragons

Willie Poching's men kept going right up to the final hooter, but were edged out 24-22 to go down to their second defeat of the new season.

Matthieu Laguerre, Fouad Yaha and Samisoni Langi went over for tries in the first half for the hosts, but Trinity stayed in the game with some good defence at times and two tries by Max Jowitt.

They produced a strong final quarter as Tom Johnstone finished impressively in the corner and Tom Lineham scored after an exciting 90-metre dash following an interception near his own line.

Jowitt converted both to end with three goals, but the hooter went went as winger Lineham was touching down and Trinity ran out of time to complete the comeback.

Wakefield could count themselves unlucky not to bring back all the points from their long trip after they came agonisingly close to another second half try when off season recruit Lineham raced clear down his wing only to lose his balance five metres short of the try-line following a last-gasp desperate ankle tap by the Dragons' Josh Drinkwater.

Catalans: Tomkins; Laguerre, Whare, Langi, Yaha; Pearce, Drinkwater; Garcia, McIlorum, Whitley, McMeeken, Goudemand, Dezaria. Subs: Da Costa, Chan, May, Kasiano.

Wakefield: Jowitt; Lineham, Batchelor, Hall, Johnstone; Walker, Bowes; Crowther, Hood, Pitts, Battye, Ashurst, Arona. Subs: Whitbread, Aydin, Kay, Shaw.

Referee: Tom Grant.