St Helens bounced again from their first Tremendous League defeat of the season to beat Leeds Rhinos at Headingley.
Fired-up Leeds took a deserved lead by Luis Roberts’ very good end and two Rhyse Martin targets.
However the guests hung powerful and Waqa Blake’s try to Jonny Lomax’s touchline conversion made it 8-6 at half-time.
Saints took cost after the break, whereas the Rhinos light as two tries in three minutes from Jonathan Bennison and Moses Mbye sealed victory.
A sixth straight win at Headingley allowed St Helens to maneuver stage on factors with Tremendous League leaders Wigan Warriors – after their late win at Salford on Thursday – whereas Leeds keep fifth.
After a minute’s silence for Leeds legend Lewis Jones – who died final week aged 92 – the Rhinos produced a rip-roaring first-half tribute, as a number of slaloming runs, notably from the electrical Lachlan Miller and Brodie Croft, triggered carnage.
Harry Newman’s thrilling run down the touchline was stopped inches quick by Lewis Dodd’s very good last-ditch problem, however moments later Roberts lower by 5 protecting defenders to wrestle his means over.
Saints virtually scored from nowhere when Matty Lees streaked in direction of the road, however Miller bought again to make the problem.
And the guests fell 8-0 behind when Joe Batchelor was pinged for a ball steal and Martin’s penalty cut up the posts.
Saints had been firmly below the pump, however stayed within the sport and hit again shortly earlier than half-time, Blake ending from shut vary after James Bentley spilled Dodd’s excessive kick.
Lomax, taking on kicking duties after winger Tommy Makinson tweaked a hamstring within the warm-up, added a positive touchline conversion.
Leeds’ scrambling defence held out below relentless stress after the break, however they lastly cracked when Saints put the ball by the arms and Lomax despatched Bennison to the proper nook earlier than including his second touchline conversion, off the upright.
A delicate rating put the guests in management when Mbye offered Jarrod O’Connor a easy dummy and dived between the posts.
Leeds have been restricted to glimpses of their first-half show after the break by a dominant defensive efficiency from Paul Wellens’ facet.
And as they slid to a tenth defeat of their final 11 conferences with the 10-time Tremendous League champions, the Rhinos’ frustrations grew late on when Sione Mata’utia escaped the sin-bin for a crunching late problem that pressured Bentley off the pitch.
Leeds could have an opportunity to make amends for his or her second defeat of the season when the 2 sides conflict as soon as once more at Headingley subsequent Friday within the standout tie of the Problem Cup sixth spherical.
Leeds Rhinos head coach Rohan Smith advised BBC Radio Leeds:
“I believed that was the perfect sport I’ve seen this 12 months in Tremendous League. It was two good groups going at it.
“I actually favored the best way we have been affected person first half, flowed, defended very well, performed some good footie, and had plenty of front-foot alternatives.
“We in all probability did not capitalise on it points-wise however towards high quality groups you have to go the space to get the factors and we weren’t fairly in a position to try this.
“I used to be proud of the best way we performed, notably within the first half, and even within the second half there have been just a few moments the place we had back-to-back-to-back clangers or main errors that we made and that was the distinction within the sport.”
St Helens head coach Paul Wellens:
“We have been virtually hit by a cyclone, it was a mix of issues – they began the sport with far more intent than we did, and the athleticism of a few of their gamers can actually harm you.
“On the flip facet, we must be higher from our intent and the way we begin the sport, as a result of we in a short time misplaced management and it took us a while to win it again.
“I believed, as a collective, our intent round our defensive work initially wasn’t the place it wanted to be, however what was there was a willingness to scramble and work arduous for one another.”
[On Tommy Makinson’s injury] “Tommy pulled up tight along with his hamstring and when it is like that you just’re silly to take a danger.
“We needed to have a last-minute reshuffle and it is a credit score to the taking part in group that they will deal with that disruption and nonetheless exit and get a end result.”
Leeds: Miller, Handley, Martin, Newman, Roberts, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Sangare, McDonnell, Bentley, C Smith.
Interchanges: Holroyd, Edgell, O’Connor, Goudemand.
St Helens: Welsby, Blake, Mata’utia, Hurrell, Bennison, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Whitley, Batchelor, Knowles.
Interchanges: Delaney, Mbye, Bell, Wingfield.
Referee: Jack Smith.