Warriors pip Rhinos

Three defeats in four matches for league leaders

Last updated: 4th July 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Warriors pip Rhinos

Burrow: Missed penalty

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Leeds' Super League slump continues, the Rhinos going down 23-22 to Wigan after just failing to secure an astonishing comeback win at the JJB Stadium.

The Warriors looked to have the points in the bag when they led 23-6 on the hour. But three late tries from Leeds brought them to within a point of their opponents.

They could then have clinched an unlikely victory at the death. However, with the last kick of the game, Rob Burrow missed a difficult penalty attempt.

The result means that Wigan keep alive their hopes of overcoming Catalans Dragons and taking third spot. But, after Leeds recorded their third defeat in four matches, it also means that St Helens can go level on points if they beat Harlequins on Saturday.

The match provided excitement from beginning to end with Wigan making a stunning start and scoring a try inside the opening minute.

Having been released by Gareth Hock, Pat Richards was the architect, the Australian making a break of some 75 metres before feeding Thomas Leuluai. The ball then found Trent Barrett, who kicked to the corner for Cameron Phelps to run on and touch down.

Richards kicked the extras and Leeds looked for an immediate response. They could have done just that in the seventh minute but, with the Rhinos lying eight metres short of the line, Jamie Peacock knocked on Danny McGuire's pass.

The Warriors took full advantage two minutes later as Phelps scored his second - Leuluai and George Carmont setting him up, the centre fending off McGuire to touch down in the left-hand corner.

Temper

Richards missed the conversion and, 10-0 down, Leeds' collective temper was coming to the boil; two penalties were quickly conceded, the second of which allowed Richards to add two more points.

Leeds looked to channel their aggression in a more positive way after 15 minutes with a fine break from Keith Senior, his offload to Brent Webb seeing the move progressed. The ball finally arrived in the hands Ryan Hall, who crossed over. However, the winger was adjudged to have been in touch.

The champions certainly looked strong going forward but developed a habit of throwing good opportunities away at precisely the wrong moment - Webb offloading to Hock and Jamie Jones-Buchanan fumbling eight metres out being cases in point.

Hock departed the field after 24 minutes with an ankle injury but the Wigan show continued when Liam Colborn jumped higher than three Rhinos to collect Leuluai's kick and score.

Richards missed again and Leeds looked to make some kind of inroad into their 16-point deficit as the half closed. Matt Diskin crossed the line after 37 minutes but was held up; instead, a Richards drop goal added another point to Wigan's tally.

Leeds were looking to make a strong start to the second half and showed as much when Burrow ploughed towards the Warriors' line after 43 minutes. Diskin then touched the ball down but, with Wigan hands also in the mix, the video referee eventually awarded a 20-metre restart.

Malaise

Leeds' first-half malaise returned when Luke Burgess knocked on in an advanced position six minutes later. The pass came from Burrow, who then looked set to score something special when he sprinted past seven Warriors on his way to the line.

Running out of steam, he nevertheless fed McGuire to touch down. Wigan then elected to play the same game, with Carmont breaking before setting up Mick Higham. Hall made the tackle but also conceded a penalty, whose conversion left Leeds needing three tries.

McGuire was looking for one just before the hour but was denied by Richards - with what appeared to be a shoulder charge. But the match seemed over soon after when, following an error by Kylie Leuluai, Darrell Goulding burst clear to score.

After McGuire's lateral run across the posts drew in Wigan defenders, Hall pulled back a second for Leeds three minutes later. The 66th minute then saw another - McGuire's break, Burrow's crossfield kick and Scott Donald's palm back setting up Senior.

Kevin Sinfield kicked the extras but departed the field soon after with a knee injury. It was an inopportune departure given that Leeds then scored another, Ali Lauitiiti breaking, with McGuire's pass finding Gareth Ellis.

Burrow stepped up to the plate and, with six minutes remaining, there was only one point in it. The last minute saw Wigan penalised for offside. Burrow therefore had a 40-metre kick for victory - but the ball fell left of the posts.