Catalans Dragons reversed their Carnegie Challenge Cup defeat at Odsal four weeks ago with an assured victory that took them three points clear in third place in the engage Super League and left Bradford Bulls to reflect on an eighth league defeat that keeps them marooned in mid-table.

Bradford's problems were encapsulated by the farcical try they conceded seven minutes from the end that sealed Catalans' win. In trying to shepherd Casey McGuire's raking kick deep to the corner out of play, Michael Platt, the full back, failed to spot Justin Murphy racing up and the Catalans winger grounded the bobbling ball under Platt's nose.

The fifth-placed Bulls, who had been knocked out of the cup by Hull eight days earlier, could summon neither the penetration nor the composure to mount a recovery in the

short time left against a well-drilled Dragons defence. “The guys showed the confidence they now have to come back and win the arm wrestle,” Mick Potter, the Catalans coach, said. “We couldn't have done that three years ago with the fitness levels we had then.”

The French team did not start as badly as they had done in the 46-16 fifth-round cup defeat by Bradford but they refused to panic when 12-2 down after half an hour. If Bradford thought that they had the game sewn up after Sam Burgess had driven over from short range and Ben Jeffries had reacted quickest to Iestyn Harris's kick into space, they were mistaken.

In front of their lowest league crowd of the season - 8,346 - their fans vented their frustration with the referee and a team who appear to have lost their way and are in desperate need of a raft of players to return from injuries. Steve McNamara is not under the sort of pressure that has accounted for three Super League coaches in the past three weeks. but he is mindful of the present shortcomings. “There's a lot of quality out there and to come back. We'll find a way,” he said.

McGuire's switch to hooker paid dividends for Catalans with his barging try from dummy half before the break. Thomas Bosc's conversion of an excellent try by Sébastien Raguin in reaching Adam Mogg's grubber gave Catalans the lead briefly. Paul Sykes went over from Burgess's long pass to restore Bradford's advantage, but Bosc added a further penalty to make the score 16-16.

With Sykes losing the ball over the line, Platt blowing a gilt-edged opportunity and David Solomona putting Harris clear with a forward pass, Bradford had no end of chances. A beautifully worked move between Mogg and Clint Greenshields provided John Wilson with the visiting team's winning try.