´óÏó´«Ã½

Peter Fox and Danny Kirmond scored two tries apiece as Wakefield eased to victory over Catalan Dragons.

The Wakefield pair and Ben Cockayne put the Wildcats firmly in command at half-time after Kevin Larroyer's early try had put the visitors in front.

Fox and Kirmond added their second scores after the break, while full-back Lee Smith kicked five goals.

Larroyer notched a consolation for the injury-hit Dragons, who lost Frederic Vaccari to a knee problem early on.

With a number of key players already unavailable, Catalan's injury curse struck again early on as Vaccari was hurt in a collision with Fox.

Both sides went into the game having lost three of their previous four Super League matches and desperate to find some form at the half-way point of the season.

Despite the early injury setback, it was the visitors who opened the scoring when Larroyer collected Leon Pryce's neat pass to dash over from close range.

But the Wildcats responded shortly afterwards through Fox, who kept up his outstanding record of scoring in every home Super League fixture this season by diving in at the corner following an excellent offload from centre Dean Collis.

And second-row forward Kirmond capitalised on two Dragons errors - firstly Thomas Bosc failing to find touch from a penalty and then Zeb Taia spilling a high kick - to put the home side in front.

Richard Agar's men went into the interval with a 12-point lead as Collis and Fox broke down the right wing and, just when the opportunity appeared to have been wasted, Cockayne dived on a loose ball near the posts to add Wakefield's third try.

Early in the second period, the hosts created an overlap for Fox to cross for his second of the game, before Cockayne broke through the centre and set up Kirmond for his brace.

Larroyer, who may be part of Wakefield and France coach Agar's plans for the World Cup later this year, breezed over the whitewash to close the gap, but a comeback never looked likely.

Wakefield's victory came at a cost, however, with prop Justin Poore needing to be helped off the field after suffering an ankle injury in the closing stages.

Wakefield head coach Richard Agar:

"I was really pleased with most of it. I thought we started a little bit slow and we finished a bit scruffy. I think we got a bit excited when daylight began to appear between the teams.

"It was difficult playing into the wind and to come in at half-time with a lead was a good effort. It made it hard to shift the ball about at times.

"We showed some real good subtlety on attack in the second half and Tim Smith came up with some really good plays.

"And I thought Dean Collis looked a threat every time he touched the ball. He's been in really good form for us all year."

Catalans head coach Laurent Frayssinous:

"I was not happy with our performance, especially with our lack of discipline and how soft we were in the first half.

"There was a lack of energy, which is not like us. You have to be tough and play hard for your team and that was not the case in the first half.

"The French youngsters have to travel a lot - we spent eight hours travelling yesterday - and it is starting to be tough for the young kids."

Wakefield: L. Smith; Fox, Collis, Mellars, Cockayne; Wood, T. Smith; Poore, Aiton, Raleigh, Lauitiiti, Kirmond, Washbrook.

Replacements: Amor, Wilkes, Annakin, Molloy.

Catalan Dragons: Escare; Blanch, Pala, Duport, Vaccari; Pryce, Bosc; Simon, Henderson, Casty, Taia, Larroyer, Mounis.

Replacements: Pelissier, Fakir, Paea, Baile.

Referee: Phil Bentham (Warrington)

Attendance: 6,125.