Leeds 22-14 Leigh: Rhinos consolidate top four spot

Match stats: Leeds 22-14 Leigh

Leeds tries: Cuthbertson (8, 58), Briscoe (15), Moon (35)                  
Goals: Sutcliffe (35, 43, 58) 

Leigh tries: Dawson (29, 40), Paterson (80)
Goals: Drinkwater (40) 

Match report

Leeds consolidated their place in Super League's top four with a hard-fought 22-14 victory over Leigh at Headingley.

The Rhinos have been dominant on home soil this year - the defeat by Huddersfield aside - but they failed to hit those heights in a scrappy match in greasy conditions.

Early tries from Adam Cuthbertson and Tom Briscoe put Leeds in control but Matty Dawson's double either side of Joel Moon's effort left the game in the balance at half-time.

Cuthbertson touched down again to give the Rhinos breathing space as Leigh lost their discipline after the break.

Antoni Maria and Dayne Weston were both sin-binned for late tackles on Danny McGuire to twice give Leeds a numerical advantage on their way to a seventh win in eight home games.

Cory Paterson scored for Leigh on the last play of a forgettable match played out between two tired sides.

Both teams had mixed results in the Spring Bank Holiday double-header, with Leeds losing at bottom club Widnes three days after nilling Warrington and Leigh unable to build on their win at Hull against leaders Castleford.

Leigh were given an immediate opportunity to put pressure on the Rhinos after Jamie Jones-Buchanan was penalised in the first tackle of the match but that was as encouraging as it got for the visitors in a one-sided opening quarter.

Leeds hit the front on eight minutes when acting-half McGuire gave Cuthbertson a simple finish from close range and crossed for a second try soon after through Briscoe with Leigh short on numbers out wide.

The Centurions needed a moment of inspiration as Leeds turned the screw in the Headingley rain and Ryan Hampshire provided it with a 40/20.

In the next set the travelling supporters in the uncovered Western Terrace were celebrating as Dawson finished in the corner from Matty Fleming's flicked pass.

A succession of penalties allowed the Rhinos to quickly regain control and Moon punished Leigh's indiscipline by plucking Burrow's high cross-field kick out of the air and touching down for his 16th try of the season.

Liam Sutcliffe slotted over his first successful conversion to put Leeds 14-4 up with half-time fast approaching but a kind bounce of the ball sent Leigh into the break with renewed hope.

Josh Drinkwater sent a kick out to the right which bounced just in front of Ryan Hall and back into the arms of Eloi Pelissier whose long pass put Dawson over for his second try.

Drinkwater's touchline conversion brought the Centurions back to within four points of their hosts but they were unable to gain any momentum as Maria was sin-binned within two minutes of the restart for a late tackle on McGuire.

Sutcliffe knocked over the resultant penalty to make it 16-10 and that is how it remained as Maria rejoined the action.

Leigh were right in the match approaching the final quarter but they were struggling for field position and suffered a killer blow when Cuthbertson got on the end of McGuire's grubber kick.

Sutcliffe's conversion left Leigh 12 points behind and with it all to do in the closing stages.

The Leeds full-back missed an opportunity to put the Rhinos three scores clear from a penalty and he was off target again a minute later after Weston was given 10 minutes for taking out McGuire after he had kicked.

It would have been a nervy finish for Leeds had Hall not hauled down Fleming just short of the line five minutes from time.

Hall's tackle ensured Paterson's try from Lachlan Burr's offload was no more than a consolation.

Match reaction

Leeds boss Brian McDermott on the Super League schedule: "It's crazy. It's wrong. It doesn't work. We've got a longer week building up to Wakefield but it'll be in their bones still next week. You ask anyone who does a marathon or something which is a big ask physically, it's not just a couple of days' rest.

"Rugby league is one of the hardest sports in the world. I've got a bit of history in boxing and that's probably the hardest sport ever - both mentally and physically - but they only box every three months.

"We wouldn't be too far behind the physical demands of a boxer and the players do it every seven days. It wrecks their bodies. You can't overestimate the physical demands put on them. It's only when you go through the second weekend ... my boys are shot in there."

On beating Leigh without several regulars: "I'm pleased we won. Our defence essentially got us the game. It's clearly obvious there were things in offense we just couldn't get right.

"We had to deal with the weather - it was an unbelievably greasy ball - and there were 24 penalties awarded in the game.

"But I won't criticise the players. It was the third game in seven days. What do you expect?" 

Leigh head coach Neil Jukes on his depleted side's display: "We've had to cope with this schedule with a more depleted squad than probably anyone in Super League. We had seven injured and two banned before we started tonight. I think it's been four games in 12 days for us against the top four teams - Hull, Castleford, Salford and Leeds.

"It's obviously our first year in Super League and we've caught the brunt of that but I'm still glad we're in this competition, playing at these arenas and against the players we are. Hopefully we don't have to do it again."