Saints move joint top with comeback win at Leeds

St Helens bounced back from their first Super League defeat of the season to beat Leeds Rhinos at Headingley.

Fired-up Leeds took a deserved lead through Luis Roberts' superb finish and two Rhyse Martin goals.

But the visitors hung tough and Waqa Blake's try and Jonny Lomax's touchline conversion made it 8-6 at half-time.

Saints took charge after the break, while the Rhinos faded as two tries in three minutes from Jonathan Bennison and Moses Mbye sealed victory.

A sixth straight win at Headingley allowed St Helens to move level on points with Super League leaders Wigan Warriors - after their late win at Salford on Thursday - while Leeds stay fifth.

After a minute's silence for late Leeds legend Lewis Jones, the Rhinos produced a rip-roaring first-half tribute, as a host of slaloming runs, particularly from the electric Lachlan Miller and Brodie Croft, caused carnage.

Harry Newman's thrilling run down the touchline was stopped inches short by Lewis Dodd's super last-ditch challenge, but moments later Roberts cut inside through five covering defenders to wrestle his way over.

Saints almost scored from nowhere when Matty Lees streaked towards the line, but Miller got back to make the challenge.

And the visitors fell 8-0 behind when Joe Batchelor was pinged for a ball steal and Martin's penalty split the posts.

Saints had been firmly under the pump, but they stayed in the game and hit back shortly before half-time, Blake finishing from close range after James Bentley spilled Dodd's high kick.

Lomax, taking over kicking duties after winger Tommy Makinson tweaked a hamstring in the warm-up, added a fine touchline conversion.

Leeds' scramble defence held out under relentless pressure after the break, but they finally cracked when Saints put the ball through the hands and Lomax sent Bennison to the right corner before adding his second touchline conversion, off the upright.

A soft score put the visitors in control when Mbye sold Jarrod O'Connor a simple dummy and dived between the posts.

Leeds were limited to glimpses of their first-half display after the break by a dominant defensive performance from Paul Wellens' side.

And as they slid to a 10th defeat in their last 11 meetings with the 10-time Super League champions, the Rhinos' frustrations grew late on when Sione Mata'utia escaped the sin-bin for a crunching late challenge which forced Bentley off the pitch.

Leeds will have a chance to make amends for their second defeat of the season when the two sides clash once again at Headingley next Friday in the standout tie of the Challenge Cup sixth round.

Leeds: Miller, Handley, Martin, Newman, Roberts, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Sangare, McDonnell, Bentley, C Smith.

Interchanges: Holroyd, Edgell, O'Connor, Goudemand.

St Helens: Welsby, Blake, Mata'utia, Hurrell, Bennison, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Whitley, Batchelor, Knowles.

Interchanges: Delaney, Mbye, Bell, Wingfield.

Referee: Jack Smith.