Saints ease past Rhinos

St Helens produced a storming second half on Saturday night to beat Leeds 30-16 in their Super League match at Headingley.

Teenager Zak Hardaker impressed on his debut for the Rhinos after being recalled in the week from Featherstone to replace the injured Ben Jones-Bishop, the 19-year-old putting the home side in front with a debut try four minutes into the second half.

But his opposite number Jamie Foster scored two tries and kicked five goals for a personal tally of 18 points as the youngsters in Saints' side also stepped up to the plate.

Two other 20-year-olds, Jonny Lomax - who replaced the suspended and Bath-bound Kyle Eastmond - and stand-off Lee Gaskell combined superbly as St Helens scored their third away victory of the season in style.

The visitors were also without internationals Leon Pryce, Jon Wilkin and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and they lost another forward, Paul Clough, after 17 minutes when he was hurt tackling Weller Hauraki.

Strong finish

Clough returned to the fray for the last 18 minutes and his experience was crucial as Saints finished strongly with three tries in the last quarter.

The first-half ended 6-6, despite there being plenty of action at both ends of the field.

Saints showed how dangerous then can be when full-back Paul Wellens regathered Gaskell's kick but centre Michael Shenton could not supply the final pass to his winger.

The move ended with Francis Meli crossing the line, only to be held up on his back.

Wellens subsequently stopped Leeds scoring by getting his body underneath Rhinos second rower Hauraki, and Hardaker could then have scored after beating Foster to cross at the corner.

However, he was denied by a foot in touch.

The deadlock was broken midway through the first half when Lomax, Wellens and Meli combined to get Foster over and the winger kicked the conversion from the touchline.

Saints worked hard to keep their line intact but they could not prevent Ryan Hall scoring an equalising try five minutes before half-time.

The score owed much to the work of captain Kevin Sinfield and Carl Ablett, who moved the ball wide to the England winger.

Wellens was inches away from restoring Saints' lead on the stroke of half-time following a superb break by Lomax but Leeds went in front for the first time four minutes into the second half thanks to some stylish handling from Hardaker.

Kallum Watkins' pass had looked forward and video referee Phil Bentham was asked to judge on a possible knock-on.

However, although the youngster twice juggled with the ball, it never touched the ground.

Saints were back in front five minutes later when Shenton beat Hall to Gaskell's high kick.

Soft

But they then conceded a soft try to Leeds replacement hooker Paul McShane, who forced his way over from dummy half.

The lead changed hands for a fourth time just past the hour when Meli took Scott Moore's pass to go through a gap in the Leeds defence and Foster kicked his third touchline conversion to make it 18-16.

Joint captain Wellens made sure of the win when he took Gaskell's pass to cross for a 69th-minute try.

Foster then scored his second of the evening with the aid of some fancy handling three minutes from the end.