Wakefield 26-28 Leeds: Rhinos beat Trinity in Super League derby
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 08/04/18 7:14pm
Kallum Watkins scored two tries as Super League champions Leeds inflicted a fifth straight defeat on Wakefield by edging a thriller 28-26.
The Rhinos captain's late touchline conversion proved the difference in an enthralling contest at Belle Vue.
Watkins had earlier opened the scoring on his 200th Super League appearance but Wakefield deservedly led at the break thanks to tries from Jacob Miller and Kyle Wood.
Matty Ashurst put Trinity back in control after Ash Handley's eighth try in five games, only for Watkins and Brad Singleton to touch down to give the Rhinos a 22-20 lead in the closing stages.
Watkins added the extras to Josh Walters' try to seemingly secure the points for Leeds but they had to withstand a frantic final minute following Max Jowitt's try.
Wakefield started the game like a side desperate for the points - Tom Johnstone, Ryan Hampshire and Miller all breaking the Leeds line - but the Rhinos scrambled well in defence and took the lead in the 15th minute through Watkins.
Richie Myler earned Leeds a repeat set with a dab into the in-goal area and in the next set Watkins was on hand to touch down another neat grubber kick.
Wakefield responded impressively and were level when Miller stepped his way over after spotting a gap in the Rhinos defence.
Wood was introduced by Trinity coach Chris Chester with Leeds tiring and the livewire hooker made an immediate impact by going himself from dummy-half on the last tackle to catch the Rhinos out.
Hampshire - standing in for injured scrum-half Liam Finn - added his second conversion of the afternoon from out wide to make it 12-6 and it would have got better for Wakefield had Johnstone not lost his footing with open field in front of him.
Leeds ended an entertaining first half on top but were unable to post points as Ryan Hall was denied a try after referee Chris Kendall spotted a ball steal and good scrambling defence kept out Watkins from a Myler kick that had come back off the crossbar.
There was nothing Wakefield could do to deny Handley six minutes after the restart, the winger-turned-centre showing good speed and then strength to finish in the corner.
Watkins nailed his touchline conversion to make it 12-12 but Hampshire nudged Trinity back ahead from a penalty after Stevie Ward was penalised for holding down Bill Tupou.
And Wakefield had a commanding eight-point advantage when Hampshire's high kick took a wicked bounce and Ashurst collected the loose ball to touch down close to the posts.
But the Rhinos quickly wiped out the home side's lead thanks to quickfire tries from Watkins and Singleton.
Watkins finished in the right corner following a brilliant break down the left by Handley and Singleton plucked Myler's kick out of the sky to score under the sticks.
Wakefield threw everything at Leeds but Walters struck the crucial blow with five minutes remaining after collecting Watkins' short-side kick.
Trinity refused to give up and crossed in the final minute through Jowitt but the Rhinos survived to strengthen their position in the top four.