A real battle at the Brutus ended with the hosts progressing to the Betfred Challenge Cup semi-finals.
Albeit error-stricken, the game was in the balance for a long period, but a string of Catalans tries just after half-time ultimately made the difference.
Head Coach, Paul Rowley handed Shane Wright his 100th career appearance, with Deon Cross, Jayden Nikorima and Chris Hankinson all returning from slight injury trouble.
But just when bodies were starting to return for the Reds, fullback, Ryan Brierley was forced out of the side in the warm-up, with Nathan Connell suffering a shoulder injury and Tiaki Chan a concussion early into the contest – meaning we played a large majority of the game with just two interchanges.
It went from bad to worse for Salford straight from kick-off. Wright knocked on from just our second carry and the Dragons pounced from the scrum – Nick Cotric dotting down in the corner.
The next ten minutes felt like both sides went error-for-error, as the ball shifted either side of halfway, but never into many dangerous areas.
Cotric was the closest in that period, but a nice scramble from Connell and Kallum Watkins nudged the winger out of touch.
Equally, Chris Hill – who produced another valiant display in the middle – denied Sam Tomkins with an outstanding defence read.
The resistance finally did break a few plays later, however, with Arthur Romano sliding over on the right edge.
A turning point in momentum may have come from the sin-binning of back-rower, Elliot Whitehead, who left Chan flat out from a nasty challenge.
Esan Marsters and then Wright almost squirmed their way through a hole, but it was from a drop-out set where the Reds finally did strike.
After a few drives at the Catalans line, Hill took a powerful carry that poked a hole and allowed him to flick a pass to Joe Shorrocks, who dotted down his first for Salford under the posts.
A Chris Hankinson conversion cut the gap to two points as the half-time hooter sounded.
It was a break that maybe hampered the Reds’ momentum, and two Catalans tries in the space of six minutes, at the start of the second-half, perhaps took the game away from Salford.
First it was Whitehead who rose highest to collect a Tomkins kick and dot down just before the whitewash, then it was halfback Theo Fages weaving his way through the line to score – both converted.
Salford had to regroup and go again, with Joe Mellor added to the fray for the first time in 2025.
He sped up proceedings from dummy-half and a neat short side play involving Jayden Nikorima and Vaughan earned us some rest-bite in terms of territory.
Minutes later, some classy play on the right edge opened up Catalans and Marsters’ break was well supported by Matty Foster, who scored in front of the travelling Salford faithful.
With 20 minutes to go and an eight-point ball game, it felt like the contest was tilting back onto a knife-edge, but errors from both sides slowed down the game to almost a halt.
There were sparks of nice interplay on both edges, but the Dragons held firm and booked themselves a spot in the last four.
For the Red Devils, the team will have to rest up quickly for the visit of Leeds Rhinos in the Betfred Super League, next Thursday.
Salford XIII: Chris Hankinson, Deon Cross, Esan Marsters, Jonny Vaughan, Nathan Connell, Jayden Nikorima, Chris Atkin, Chris Hill, George Hill, Jack Ormondroyd, Shane Wright, Kallum Watkins (C), Joe Shorrocks.
Interchanges: Joe Mellor, Harvey Wilson, Tiaki Chan, Matty Foster.
Tries: Joe Shorrocks, Matty Foster.
Conversions: Chris Hankinson (2/2)
Catalans XIII: Sam Tomkins, Tommy Makinson, Arthur Romano, Reimis Smith, Nick Cotric, Luke Keary, Theo Fages, Tevita Pangai Jnr, Alrix Da Costa, Julian Bousquet, Bayley Sironen, Elliot Whitehead, Oliver Partington.
Interchanges: Ben Garcia, Tariq Sims, Chris Satae, Guillermo Airspuro-Bichet.
Tries: Nick Cotric, Arthur Romano, Elliot Whitehead, Theo Fages.
Conversions: Sam Tomkins (0/1), Tommy Makinson (0/1), Guillermo Airspuro-Bichet (2/2)
HT: 8-6
FT: 20-6
