Hull FC moved a step closer to Wembley as they booked their place in the Challenge Cup semi-finals with a 24-13 victory against Catalan Dragons.
Peter Gentle's side ended their four-match losing streak with their most important result of the season in the heat of the south of France.
A Tom Briscoe try settled a nervy game which had swung one way and then another as the Black and Whites celebrated reaching the last four of the competition for the first time in five years.
Catalan thought they had opened the scoring inside five minutes when Damien Blanch touched down in the corner, but video referee Steve Ganson denied the hosts a try after an extensive replay.
Chances remained at a premium but on 28 minutes the breakthrough came as Shannon McDonnell made something from nothing, weaving his way through the Dragons defence from 20 metres out to score.
In hot conditions Hull made matters hard for themselves with a series of penalties handing the French side successive sets and having had too much defending to do, the Black and Whites' defence broke when Eloir Pelissier barged his way over from dummy-half.
A Scott Dureau conversion levelled matters and then a drop-goal by the Aussie half-back looked to have handed his side a half-time lead until on the stroke of the hooter Danny Tickle's penalty made sure it was the visitors who held a narrow 7-6 advantage.
Hull's lead didn't last long. After Andy Lynch spilled the ball on the first set of the second half for his side, Catalan took full advantage. Lopini Paea did the damage with his surging run to the line before an off-load in the tackle allowed Morgan Escare to score.
Dureau's conversion put the hosts in charge of the scoreboard, but moments later Hull were only a point behind thanks to Tom Lineham's try in the corner.
When Ben Crooks failed to put Lineham away for his second with a simple pass, Hull's chance looked like it may have gone. But Tom Briscoe made amends after great work by Danny Houghton, with the winger racing 50 metres to score under the posts.
With seconds remaining McDonnell made certain of the result by finishing Kirk Yeaman's break under the posts.
