Super League: Leeds Rhinos 32-20 Hull FC

Joel Moon has scored six tries in 17 Super League appearances this season

Leeds Rhinos returned to the top of the Super League table with a hard-fought victory over Hull FC.

The hosts led at the break thanks to tries from Danny McGuire, Joel Moon and Jimmy Keinhorst, with Jordan Thompson crashing over for the visitors.

Curtis Naughton touched down to give Hull FC hope before Moon ran in again.

Danny Houghton and Fetuli Talanoa reduced the arrears but two Kevin Sinfield penalties and Carl Ablett's late try gave Leeds the win.

The Rhinos went into the match on the back of just two successes in their previous seven matches and were made to work for the two points by Lee Radford's men.

Leeds dominated early on and McGuire touched down the 270th try of his career after linking up well with Ryan Hall, but the advantage proved to be short-lived with Thompson barging his way over.

The hosts regained the lead when Hall palmed a high kick from Zak Hardaker to Keinhorst, who fed Moon to touch down, and they extended their advantage when Naughton spilled another kick to leave Keinhorst with a simple score.

Naughton made up for his error by scoring his side's second try of the game after the restart before Leeds opened up a 12-point lead when Moon went over.

The Black and Whites, who host Leeds in Friday's Challenge Cup quarter-final, kept battling away and Houghton went over after a superb offload by Liam Watts.

After some desperate defending to keep the visitors out the hosts needed a 40-metre penalty from Sinfield, after a challenge that saw visiting half-back Marc Sneyd and McGuire end the game in the sin bin, to put two scores between the teams once more.

Talanoa went over to set up a nervy finish but another Sinfield penalty and a last-minute try from Ablett were enough.

Leeds coach Brian McDermott:

"It was a tough win.

"Hull are a good team and they have been on a bit of a roll. They play a lot better than their league position suggests. We prepared for a good team and got challenged a lot.

"They are going to be a very good team at their place next week. They're going to be full of enthusiasm and they're going to have a huge reaction I'd imagine."

Hull FC coach Lee Radford:

"Our effort and commitment for each other was never in question. Our skill and execution is just not giving us a chance to win games.

"We've got to be more clinical, that's the frustration. We're really having a dig but we've got to be better with the ball."

Leeds: Hardaker, Handley, Watkins, Moon, Hall, Sutcliffe, McGuire, Leuluai, Aiton, Singleton, Keinhorst, S. Ward, Ablett.

Replacements: Sinfield, Walters, Cuthbertson, Peacock.

Hull: Shaul, Naughton, Sa, Talanoa, Michaels, Pryce, Sneyd, Paea, Houghton, Watts, Ellis, Minichiello, Thompson.

Replacements: Paleaaesina, Abdull, Whiting, Green.

Referee: Robert Hicks (RFL)