Leeds edge past champions Wigan in gripping contest

Leeds half-back Brodie Croft is just tackled by a Wigan player as he tries to make a burst — Wigan lost successive games for the first time since last July [SWPix]

Betfred Super League

Leeds (6) 12

Tries: Lumb, Sinfield Goals: Connor 2

Wigan (4) 10

Tries: Marshall, French Goal: Smith

Leeds Rhinos edged past champions Wigan Warriors in a gripping contest at AMT Headingley to claim a statement Super League victory.

Riley Lumb's early try gave the home side the lead, before Liam Marshall's score reduced the deficit to two points at the break.

A typical piece of magic from Bevan French put Wigan in front for the first time, but Jack Sinfield's late try and Jake Connor's conversion turned the game back in the Rhinos' favour.

The win takes them up to sixth and showed they could be a force under head coach Brad Arthur, who took charge last July.

The Warriors, who could have gone top with a win, are one place above Leeds, but this was a second straight loss - after going out of the Challenge Cup seven days ago - and a third defeat in their seven games this season.

Matt Peet's world champions have not had too many setbacks in the last 18 months but, by their very high standards, this is a blip.

The shock cup defeat at home to Hull FC had also came at a cost, as they lost Adam Keighran and Jai Field to injury, while there was a further setback when winger Abbas Miski pulled up injured in the warm-up.

And it was the player who replaced Miski whose mistake gifted Leeds the opening score as young winger Jacob Douglas spilled Connor's high kick and James Bentley's pass allowed Lumb to go over.

The Rhinos were fired up and full of intent for the visit of the champions and Connor's penalty extended the lead.

They would have gone further ahead but for a magnificent last-ditch tackle from French on Keenan Palasia after Brodie Croft's run had broken the line.

But just when it looked like Leeds would keep Wigan scoreless at half-time, the visitors struck on the stroke of the hooter.

Harry Smith's kick over the defence was delightful and bounced perfectly for Marshall to run on to and score in the corner.

Again the second period was highly competitive and full of big plays, but a bit of magic from French turned the scoreline in their favour for the first time.

Smith sensed an opportunity as he danced across the line before spotting French moving forward from deep and his electric footwork sent two defenders the wrong way as he dived over.

But Leeds fought back, although there was a large slice of luck about the winning score.

Super League's record try-scorer Ryan Hall was celebrating the 500th game of his career, but his key contribution was an inadvertent assist.

Connor sent a kick high into the night sky for Hall to contest, only for the ball to bounce off the veteran winger's head for Sinfield to grab the loose ball and score with Connor's extras putting his side two points ahead.

They then showed real determination to see it out in the tense closing stages for a huge victory.

The eight-time Super League winners have finished eighth in the last two seasons, but this was the first indicator that they should be fighting at the right end of the table this term.

Leeds Rhinos head coach Brad Arthur told BBC Radio 5 Live:

"It was a tough, grinding win. We did a lot of things in the second half we'd probably like to get the opportunity to learn from, but we hung on.

"It was a really good effort for Ryan Hall and I'm really happy for the players because you see how much they care.

"It's one game, we can't get carried away. But I've seen that consistently over the five or six games, we just haven't been able to get the right result.

"Hopefully tonight that gives us a little bit of confidence to stick at it."

Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet told BBC Radio Manchester:

"It was a good game, it ebbed and flowed. Leeds were the better team at the start and points came.

"We grew into the game and raised the bar in the second half. I liked a lot of what we did defensively second half but we didn't get the result.

"Plenty to be proud about, some lessons we'll learn, but overall proud of the performance."

Leeds: Miller; Hall, Newman, Handley, Lumb; Croft, Connor; Oledzki, O'Connor, Jenkins, Bentley, McDonnell, Palasia.

Interchanges: Gannon, Lisone, Sinfield, Holroyd.

Wigan: French; Douglas, Eckersley, Wardle, Marshall; Farrimond, Smith; Byrne, Leeming, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis.

Interchanges: Mago, Dupree, Walters, Forber.

Referee: Jack Smith.

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