Lewis Dodd’s first hat-trick of his career helped Catalans Dragons come from behind to dash Warrington Wolves’ hopes of reclaiming top spot in Super League.
The ex-St Helens man capped a brilliant team performance from the French side, who move into the top six after securing their first win over Wire in five attempts.
In a tight, physical contest featuring high-quality rugby from both teams, Wolves twice led as tries from the Thewlis brothers, Jake and Josh, bracketed a brilliant solo effort from captain George Williams.
But Tommy Makinson scored two tries and Leo Darellatour also crossed to ensure a breathless game was neck-and-neck after 50 minutes.
The Dragons, in their first game since coach Joel Tomkins left the club in midweek, stepped up the tempo with Dodd scoring his treble in the space of 18 minutes and Zac Lipowicz set the seal on the win before Max Wood’s late consolation try for Wolves.
The Dragons looked fired up in the wake of Tomkins’ departure, and penned Wire back in the opening phase, but the sin-binning of Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet for preventing Matty Ashton from a quick restart gave the away side the chance they wanted.
Moving the ball wide quickly, 20-year-old Josh Thewlis, making his first Wolves appearance of the season after a loan spell at Castleford Tigers, acrobatically finished in the corner, before Williams marked his 350th career appearance by weaving over from halfway to make it 10-0.
Makinson was then denied by Jake Thewlis’ brilliant cover tackle before his threat caused Matty Ashton to take him out without the ball and receive a yellow card.
Just as Warrington had done, Dragons took full advantage, Makinson being the spare man to score before Leo Darrelatour finished a superb team move to make it all square at the break.
Wire produced a marvellous try of their own as Kelepi Tanginoa made the break and Josh Thewlis raced clear to score under the posts and restore their lead.
From that moment, Dragons, and their Australian centre Solomona Faataape in particular, were unstoppable.
Makinson added his second from Aispuro-Bichet’s offload to square the score again, before classy offloads from Faataape and Toby Sexton sent Dodd stepping past the last Wire defender to put the home side ahead for the first time.
Warrington had bounced back well from their only defeat of the season by Leeds, but Faataape cut them open again to send Dodd away for his second, and shocked Wire then sloppily tossed the ball into space and the ex-St Helens half-back reacted first to grab his third try.
Dodd then created one, his awkward bouncing kick flipping neatly into the arms of Lipowicz to set the seal on victory before prop Wood marked his first Super League appearance of the season with a consolation score.