Super League: Leeds Rhinos 20-14 Salford Red Devils
- Published
Liam Sutcliffe's try helped put Leeds ahead with 75 seconds remaining
Betfred Super League |
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Leeds Rhinos (6) 20 |
Tries: Hall, Keinhorst, Sutcliffe Goals: Burrow 4 |
Salford Red Devils (8) 14 |
Tries: O'Brien, Welham, Tomkins Goals: O'Brien |
Leeds recorded their second win of the season with a late try from Liam Sutcliffe denying a spirited Salford.
Salford led at the break after Gareth O'Brien and Kris Welham tries cancelled out Ryan Hall's finish.
Jimmy Keinhorst's second Super League try of the season put Leeds in front, but Logan Tomkins crossed to level with 10 minutes remaining at Headingley.
Sutcliffe's score, which had a dubious looking forward pass in the build up, ended the visitors' hopes late on.
The Rhinos took five games to pick up their first win in 2016, so to have two on the board after three matches is a boost for Brian McDermott's side.
Danny McGuire, making his first start of the season linked up well for the hosts, particularly with a fine kick for the Hall try, while Salford's O'Brien underlined his importance with a strong display that yielded a try.
Leeds shaded the match in terms of chances, enjoying large stints of possession in the Salford half - particularly in the opening 40 - and were clinical after the break.
The visitors were unfortunate to have George Griffin's first-half score chalked off for a forward pass - particularly given the drama surrounding Sutcliffe's effort at the end - and the Red Devils showed defensive mettle throughout.
Their promise lies in the quality of halves Robert Lui and Michael Dobson, who impressed as they staked their claims to compete with import half-back Todd Carney for a spot in the side.
Leeds head coach Brian McDermott:
"I'm going to be very diplomatic, I actually didn't see the pass. But enough people shouted for it. If it was, it was.
"I can understand his frustration. But you've got to ask the question, 'Is that why the try was scored?'.
"From my point of view, I won't be rolling my eyes on Monday and saying to the fellas, 'We were lucky'."
Salford head coach Ian Watson:
"The ref and the officials weren't great all game. There was a dead-set penalty we should have had 30 metres out in front of the posts. Gaz O'Brien doesn't miss that one, he kicks that and that's our win at Leeds.
"What's happened on the back of it has just compounded that - it was a massive forward pass. The fact there are only three people in the ground who don't see it is unreal.
"We were adamant as a group we were going to come here and get something. It was a win we wanted and I thought the boys deserved it.
"I feel we've been let down by an outside factor. It's a cruel way to lose a game."
Leeds Rhinos: Golding; Briscoe, Watkins, Keinhorst, Hall; McGuire, Burrow; Garbutt, Parcell, Singleton, Ward, Ablett, Jones-Buchanan.
Replacements: Cuthbertson, Sutcliffe, Ormondroyd, Moon.
Salford Red Devils: O'Brien; Bibby, Sa'u, Welham, Johnson; Lui, Dobson; Kopczak, Tomkins, Mossop, Griffin, Jones, Flanagan.
Replacements: Wood, Tasi, Krasniqi, A Walne.
Referee: Chris Campbell.