| Leeds (12) 12 |
| Tries: Handley, Smith, Goals: Martin 2 |
| St Helens (4) 13 |
| Tries: Makinson, Sironen Goals: McInson 2 Drop-goal: Dodd |
St Helens’ World Club Challenge hero Lewis Dodd was again the match-winner as his golden-point drop-goal edged a thriller against 12-man Leeds Rhinos.
During a gruelling 80 minutes in which the two sides could not be separated, Leeds had James McDonnell sent-off.
Both sides missed multiple drop-goal attempts in golden-point time, while Leeds’ Rhyse Martin missed a penalty goal attempt from distance.
Dodd finally nailed it, just as he did against Australian champions Penrith.
That triumph down under in February has come at a cost for Saints, as their remarkable achievement in winning in Australia has not coincided with their best form in Super League, as they seek a fifth straight crown.
All the same, they are now just six points behind leaders Warrington with a game in hand, and could well be buoyed by this success; Leeds have won six and lost seven, a sequence of results that sums up their unpredictable nature.
In this rematch of last season’s Grand Final, while it was Saints and a relieved Paul Wellens who came away with the points, Leeds earned themselves much credit with a display in adversity that highlighted their strengths in a topsy-turvy season.
At one stage, four players had been ruled out through injury, with Aidan Sezer, Morgan Gannon and key centre Harry Newman all limping off not to return, while Sam Walters earlier passed a head-injury assessment and Tom Holroyd played through what looked like a hamstring issue after treatment.
Rohan Smith’s side were steely against a Saints side who currently lack the ruthlessness of the group that won the past four Super League titles, although it was the Rhinos approach which seemed to knock the visitors off their stride, even as their two already makeshift halves departed to force ongoing reshuffles.
Ash Handley put them in front when Rhyse Martin was set away by Derrell Olpherts from deep, but a clunky Saints did find their groove to send 300-game Tommy Makinson over in trademark fashion shortly after.
It was not the turning point for the visitors, who were behind again before half-time when Makinson’s escort attempt merely obscured Jack Welsby’s sight of a bomb, and Cameron Smith punished his spill to score.
Curtis Sironen’s raw power helped Saints pull within two when he dashed over, and a penalty goal gave Makinson the chance to square things up with Leeds creaking.
Golden point ensued, after Rhinos back-rower McDonnell was dismissed after coming together with a bloodied Jonny Lomax, and it was heading for a draw until Dodd finally hit the mark with about a minute to go.
Leeds: Myler; Handley, Newman, MacDonald, Olpherts; Gannon, Sezer; Walters, O’Connor, Holroyd, McDonnell, Martin, Smith.
Interchanges: Oledzki, Donaldson, Johnson, Sangare, [Tindall].
Sent off: McDonnell (77).
St Helens: Welsby; Makinson, Hurrell, Hopoate, Ritson; Lomax, Dodd; Walmsley, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Sironen, Batchelor, Bell.
Interchanges: Mata’utia, Lussick, Paasi, Wingfield, [Bennison].
Sin-bin: Fear (84).
Referee: Liam Moore