Top 14: Perpignan score five tries in bonus-point victory over Agen
Perpignan came on strong in the second half to claim a resounding 39-13 Top 14 win over Agen on Friday night.
Last Updated: 01/12/12 8:26am
The hosts made a fast start at the Stade Aime Giral with two scores inside the opening quarter of an hour after Agen had been reduced to 14 men following the sin-binning of prop Laurent Cabarry.
Agen paid the price for their numerical disadvantage at the set-piece as Perpignan were awarded a penalty try and centre David Marty quickly added a second - James Hook converting both to open a 14-0 lead.
But Agen hit back and tries from full-back Raphael Lagarde and centre Miguel Avramovic, as well as a drop-goal from Lagarde, meant they trailed by just a single point at half-time with the score at 14-13.
However, Perpignan shut out their visitors in the second period as they pulled away to a comfortable success, ending a two-game losing streak in the process.
Hook's boot and further tries from winger Farid Sid and scrum-half Florian Cazenave put the result beyond doubt in a five-minute spell.
Hooker Guilhem Guirado put a gloss on the scoreline after touching down for his side's fifth try in the 76th minute.
The bonus-point win lifts Perpignan to seventh in the Top 14 table, while Agen are just one place off the bottom following their sixth consecutive defeat.