Fifth space was up for grabs as the Catalans Dragons entertained the Castleford Tigers at the Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan. The Tigers needed a win and hope that they won and that the Dragons would lose in the final round next weekend.

A win for the Dragons would seal fifth spot for the home side, and confirm that the Tigers would end the season in sixth.

The Tigers were without talisman Rangi Chase who was suspended as the Dragons looked to end their home fixtures for the season on a high.

The Tigers drew first blood on thirteen when Paddy Flynn crashed over in the corner off a Ryan Hampshire long pass to silence the home crowd. Luke Gale drilled the conversion between the sticks for 6-0 and a great start for the visitors.

On his farewell home appearance Oliver Elima got the equaliser on eighteen when he bounced off the post-padding to ground and with the kick directly in front of the posts Tony Gigot kicked the extras.

But parity lasted for just two minutes. A poor defensive effort allowed Solomona to go over off a long ball from Luke Gale to round behind the tacklers and improve the angle for Gale to kick the extra two.

Two minutes later and Solomona was in again, this one to break Lesley Vainikolos Superleague tries in a season record, thanks to quick hands down the Tigers line. Gale again converted brilliantly from the touchline for 18-6, the Dragons had been undone with a double-whammy.

On the half hour Ben Crooks added to the Dragons woes with the Tigers fourth when he ran the angle to breach a broken Catalans defence. Gale kicked the extras to ease his side even further ahead.

Four minutes from the interval and Glenn Stewart forced his way to the line, off a Pelissier pass, to get his side back into the game. Gigot was unable to add the extras leaving his side still three scores behind at 24-10.

The second half was just three minutes old when Ben Crooks picked up a Luke Gale grubber to spin out of an attempted tackle and walk over to score under the sticks. Gale converted for the Tigers to bring up the thirty.

On fifty-three Paddy Flynn joined the Castleford two's club when he took a McMeeken pass to score easily in the right hand corner. Gale missed his first effort of the afternoon but at 34-10 the points were going back to Yorkshire.

The Dragons cause wasn't helped on the hour mark when Benjamin Garcia was yellow carded for a punch.

On sixty-five a Vincent Duport break put in the groundwork for an Eloi Pelissier try a tackle later, and when Gigot kicked the extras. Two minutes later and Louis Anderson spun away from a tiring Tigers defence to score by the uprights. Gigot kicked his third of the night for 22-34 and reduced the margin to twelve points. The twelve men were dominating.

A Gigot grubber was chased and grounded by Richie Myler and when Gigot kicked the extras it was 28-34 and the Tigers lead was cut to just a converted try with four minutes remaining.

Despite the Dragons throwing everything at the Tigers the Yorkshiremen managed to hold firm in defence and hang on for the win.

It was an eighth consecutive home defeat for the Dragons and a sad way for them to end their 2016 home campaign, but a terrific win for the Tigers to keep alive their hopes of finishing in fifth spot after a season dogged with injuries and set backs. With the Dragons having to travel to Wigan next weekend, while the Tigers are at home to Widnes, the odds must now be on the Tigers snatching fifth.

Dragons: Gigot (4G), Broughton, Garcia (SB), Duport, Sigismeau, Stewart (T), Myler (T), Elima (T), Aiton, Casty, Anderson (T), Horo, Mounis. Subs: Taylor, Pelissier (T), Bosquet, Seguir.

Tigers: Dorn, Flynn (2T), Minikin, Webster, Solomona (2T), Hampshire, Gale (5G), Patrick, McShane, Cook, Savelio, Holmes, Milner. Subs: Crooks (2T), McMeeken, Maher, Douglas.

Referee: Phil Bentham.

Attendance: