Betfred Super League
Leeds (8) 24
Tries: Hankinson, Newman, Sivo Goals: Connor 6
St Helens (16) 16
Tries: Walmsley, Feldt, Sailor Goals: Sailor 2
Leeds Rhinos extended their lead at the top of the Super League table as they edged out St Helens in an entertaining contest at Headingley.
Alex Walmsley got St Helens off the mark and Chris Hankinson hit back for the hosts, but Kyle Feldt silenced the home crowd when he crossed at the corner.
Tristan Sailor padded out Saints’ lead on the verge of half-time, but Harry Newman responded after the break at the beginning of an attritional second half.
Leeds tipped the game back in their favour off the back of the kicking of Jake Connor, with his first penalty tying the game at 16-16 while his second – in the aftermath of David Klemmer’s yellow card – moved them two points ahead, and Maika Sivo’s late try put gloss on the win late on.
Victory for Leeds means they are now two points clear of Saints and Warrington at the top of the table.
It was the first time the two sides had met since St Helens’ dramatic late play-off eliminator win at Headingley last season and, although not living up to one of the all-time games of the Super League era, it was an impressive showing from both teams.
Leeds named an unchanged side and they led early on against a St Helens line-up with five changes as Connor kicked them 2-0 up, but Daryl Clark then battered his way through the Leeds defence to tee up Walmsley to get the game’s first try.
The hosts thought they had responded when Sivo stretched to the corner, but his effort was chalked off as the ball slipped out of his hand before he reached the line.
But Hankinson exploited a gap in the Saints defence soon after to run in on his 100th Super League appearance, following some quick work from Connor’s clever pass in the build-up.
St Helens went back in front as they tore Leeds open, with Jonny Lomax’s swift pass in the build-up helping to send Feldt in at the corner.
Saints were good value for their lead by this point and they turned the screw as Jack Welsby sent through a perfectly weighted grubber kick to Sailor who duly beat Fergus McCormack in a foot race to the line.
Leeds wasted no time after the break and were back within touching distance when Connor’s monster kick upfield gained them the territory to put pressure on Saints, with Newman crossing as a result – and they were on level terms from Connor’s penalty moments later.
The decisive moment came late on when Klemmer went in late on Hankinson, leading to him ending the game in the sin-bin, while Connor duly kicked the two from the penalty that followed, and then sold a sensational dummy to send Sivo through to wrap up the win in style.
A rare blip on a fine night’s work for Leeds came when Cameron Smith was sent to the bin in the final moments for a professional foul.
Reaction – ‘I don’t think game needed Klemmer yellow’
Leeds Rhinos boss Brad Arthur:
“I’m very pleased that we got the result. I don’t think we were great, but we were good. We learned some lessons and it was another step in the right direction for us with the growth of our team.
“First half we dominated a lot of field position but didn’t nail some big moments. A little bit of frustration crept in, particularly with Jake [Connor] who wasn’t as composed.
“We came in at half-time, everyone was nice and calm, we knew what we needed to do and in the second half we went out there, we had the belief that if we dominated the field position we’d come away with the win.
“It doesn’t always need to be pretty. They’re a tough team to play against and they frustrate you.”
St Helens head coach Paul Rowley told BBC Radio Merseyside:
“I liked a lot about what we did to be honest. I thought we showed tremendous spirit throughout the game, particularly in the first half when we were camped on our own line.
“I just thought there was a team that wanted to work for each other and the badge and that’s a good effort.
“I thought we stood up for large parts of the game, as did Leeds, and we got an entertaining game. Unfortunately for us we came out on the wrong end of it. Field position probably was the overriding factor that edged it in Leeds’ favour and some of that was earned and some of it was given – some by us and some by penalties.”
[On David Klemmer’s yellow card] “I don’t think the context of the game required a yellow at that point. Two six-agains, a penalty and a yellow card for us in the last few minutes, that was wonderful that, I really appreciate it.”
Leeds: McCormack; Hall, Newman, Handley, Sivo; Croft, Connor; Oledzki, O’Connor, Jenkins, Hankinson, McDonnell, Watkins.
Interchanges: Palasia, Levi, Smith, Cassell.
Yellow card: Smith (79 mins)
St Helens: Welsby; Feldt, Robertson, Percival, Sailor; Lomax, Whitby; Walmsley, Clark, Klemmer, Sironen, Whitley, Shorrocks.
Interchanges: Wright, Delaney, Davies, Shorrocks.
Yellow card: Klemmer (73 mins)
Referee: Jack Smith.
