Leeds snatch golden-point win over Huddersfield

LONDON: Leeds staged a dramatic late fightback to earn a golden-point victory over Huddersfield and go top of the Betfred Super League.

The Rhinos looked destined for defeat in the second match of a double-header at Headingley which marked the return of Super League when they trailed 26-6 after an hour and had winger Ash Handley dispatched to the sin bin.

But they struck back with three tries in five minutes despite being a man short and levelled the match through Konrad Hurrell two minutes from the end of normal time to set up the position for skipper Luke Gale to snatch an unlikely 27-26 victory with a 40-metre drop goal in the first period of extra time.

The outcome was harsh on the Giants, whose “home” fixture was switched from the John Smith’s Stadium due to bio-security protocol.They played some splendid rugby to put themselves in a seemingly invincible position, with Darnell McIntosh grabbing a hat-trick of tries and fellow winger Louis Senior scoring two.

Leeds began the season back in February with a 30-4 defeat by Hull at the new-look Headingley before winning their next four and they made it tough before extending their run.The Giants were without England winger Jermaine McGilvary through injury but his replacement, 20-year-old Senior, took only four minutes to make his mark as he touched down stand-off Lee Gaskell’s kick to the corner for the opening try.

Leeds’ makeshift full-back Richie Myler was denied an equalising score when the video referee ruled he had been grounded short of the line but there was no stopping powerful centre Hurrell on 13 minutes as he finished off a flowing move at the corner.

Rhyse Martin’s touchline conversion nudged the Rhinos in front but Huddersfield struck back with two tries in eight minutes through left winger McIntosh, the first after a superb cut-out pass from Gaskell.

Giants captain Aidan Sezer was unable to convert any of the tries but landed a penalty from in front of the posts two minutes before half-time to extend his side’s lead to a more comfortable 14-6.

Leeds were pressing at the start of the second half when their passing broke down and McIntosh swooped on the loose ball to sprint 75 metres for his third try.

Sezer’s first conversion made it 20-6 and the Rhinos suffered another blow when second-rower James Donaldson was carried off on a stretcher with a leg injury.There seemed no way back for the home side when winger Ash Handley was sin-binned for dissent and the Giants immediately made the extra man count as Sezer put an unopposed Senior over for his second try.

At 26-6, the game appeared over as a contest but the Rhinos had other thoughts.Captain Luke Gale sparked the fightback, gliding through a gap for a solo try, before winger Luke Briscoe finished off a brilliant crossfield move and former Huddersfield second-rower Alex Mellor forced his way over from close range.Martin managed just one conversion to leave his side still trailing by six points but two minutes from the end the muscular Hurrell barged his way over for his second try and Martin landed the goal to level the scores.Gaskell had the first chance to win it in the early stages of added time but his drop-goal attempt went wide and that created the stage for Gale to snatch it.