Salford Red Devils fell to their first defeat in 6 matches against an impressive looking Catalans Dragons side in the South of France on Bank Holiday Monday.
The Red Devils came into the game having beaten Leigh Centurions 12-6 at the The Salford Stadium just two days before.
Lee Mossop and Ben Murdoch-Masila missed out on the game with Olsi Krasniqi and Ryan Lannon coming into the squad, and Todd Carney making his first start for the Red Devils.
The game started out on an even keel, but it would be Catalans who drew first blood with Duport scoring in the corner for the Dragons.
Duport was in again before half time in controversial fashion, pouncing a on a ball that had been knocked loose in the dead ball area, the video referee judging that it had not gone forwards in the process.
Half time: Catalans Dragons 14 Red Devils 0
The Dragons continued to control the game in the early stages of the second half and extended their lead further with Inu adding his name to the scoresheet following a Ritchie Myler cross field kick.
Salford got themselves back into the game in spectacular fashion, with Justin Carney fielding a cross field kick on his own try lane, and racing 100m to score, with Gareth OβBrien adding to two points.
With the Red Devils starting to build themselves into the game, disaster struck, as Mylers chip kick took a horrible bounce to deceive OβBrien, and the ball fell perfectly into the hands of the Catalans Half-Back who gathered his own kick to score.
Salford kept chipping away at the hosts, but found themselves on the wrong side of the rub of the green again, as Gigot made an interception as the Red Devils looked to break away, and raced away to put the game beyond all doubt.
Luke Walsh added to drop goals and Duport claimed his hat-trick before the end of the game, to cap off a difficult afternoon in the South of France for the Red Devils
Final Score: Catalans Dragons 38 Salford Red Devils 6
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