A controversial last-gasp try by Dane Carlaw gave Catalans Dragons a dramatic 26-24 victory over Wigan at the JJB Stadium.

The Warriors had looked home and dry when they led 24-16 with just five minutes remaining, but former Wigan prop Jerome Guisset gave the French side hope before Carlaw's late late show stole the points.

Warriors coach Brian Noble had again decided not to risk the fitness of Trent Barrett, with youngster Thomas Coyle again entrusted with the stand-off duties.

There was a change in the three-quarter line, however, with Mark Calderwood returning on the wing to make his 50th Super League appearance for the club and Liam Colbon switching to centre to replace the injured Darrell Goulding.

The Dragons arrived armed with a five-game unbeaten streak, with Adam Mogg continuing at stand-off alongside Thomas Bosc, although Casey McGuire was declared fit enough to make the bench.

The visitors took the lead after just six minutes when full-back Clint Greenshields darted through a gap down the Dragons left-hand side to touch down.

Bosc kicked a lovely conversion from the touchline, and added a penalty goal shortly after to open up an 8-0 advantage.

The visitors were shading the collision, and nearly crossed for a second try just after the 20-minute mark, when only Pat Richards running out of the defensive line and intercepting a long ball aimed at winger Justin Murphy saved the day.

And Wigan made the most of the break when, two minutes later, Iafeta Paleaaesina offloaded to Joel Tomkins, before George Carmont sent Richards over in the corner for a fine team score.

Wigan nearly scored a second try five minutes before the interval when prop Eamon O'Carroll released Calderwood clean through down the centre on halfway, but the former Leeds man was brought back by referee Ashley Klein for a borderline forward pass.

However, two quickfire penalty goals from Richards in the space of three minutes levelled the scores ahead of the interval, before Bosc edged his side in front with another two-pointer after Andy Coley had moved off the mark when playing the ball bang in front.

Wigan started the second half on the front foot with a great defensive effort on the first two Catalans drives, and they took full advantage of good field position when scrum-half Thomas Leuluai jinked through and put O'Carroll over for his first try of 2008.

Richards converted for 14-10, and he also added the extras to Wigan's third try of the night after 52 minutes when Carmont fly-kicked forward a loose pass from the Dragons inside their own quarter that went to ground to walk in under the posts.

The Dragons hit back five minutes later, however, when Calderwood made a mess of chasing back an attempted 40-20 from Bosc, conceding a scrum in the Wigan danger zone, and Catalans immediately spread the ball right for Greenshields to bring winger Justin Murphy inside to score.

Bosc's goal reduced the arrears to four points, but the impressive Leuluai laid the crucial next try on a plate for Richards, kicking the ball into the corner for the Australian to touch down.

Former Wigan prop Guisset made it an anxious finish by crashing over in the 76th minute, with Bosc adding his fifth goal, but there was further drama to come.

With time up Bosc hoisted a kick to the corner and, with Calderwood appearing to be impeded in the air, the ball broke for Carlaw to shock the vast majority of the 13,044 crowd.