Leeds keep play-off hopes alive with Dragons win

Betfred Super League

Leeds (0) 16

Tries: Fusitua, Frawley, Miller Goals: Martin 3

Catalans (6) 6

Tries: Romano Goals: Mourgue

Leeds Rhinos produced a stirring second half comeback to keep their Super League play-off hopes alive and dent Catalans Dragons' hopes of reaching the top six.

The visitors dominated the first half with a simple, but effective game plan which was rewarded by Arthur Romano's try.

Knowing their season hung in the balance, the Rhinos produced a sparkling second half performance, with free-flowing scores from David Fusitua and Matt Frawley giving them in the lead.

A breakaway try from Lachlan Miller pushed them clear of a tired Dragons side to confirm victory and take them two points from the top six with four games left.

Leeds Rhinos' win against Catalans Dragons means they are just two points behind the French side in the Super League table

After their defeat by Warrington at the Magic Weekend last week, head coach Brad Arthur said that the Rhinos must win every game to make it into the play-off places.

It was an out-of-form Catalans side who made the early running, however, their kicking and excellent game management nullifying Leeds' tactics.

Romano scored a deserved opening try, running a good line to run in at close range, to give them a deserved 6-0 lead at half-time.

Arthur, who signed a contract to keep him at Headingley until next season, will have been delighted by the way his side recovered.

Fusitua powered his way to the line to get the hosts back into it, before Frawley finished off a pacey move through the middle of the field to give Leeds the lead.

The game hinged on a dramatic final moment 15 minutes from time. Romano knocked on from a Arthur Morgue grubber kick five metres out.

Leeds then went up the other end of the field to score, with Miller scoring his fourth try in his last five matches as the gaps opened up in the Dragons' defence.

Steve McNamara's side have now lost four of their past six games, and now find themselves in a tough fight for the play-offs, with the Rhinos closing the gap to two points following the result.

Leeds Rhinos' head coach Brad Arthur told BBC Radio Leeds

"I thought we showed good composure, because early in the game we were a bit side-to-side, a bit frantic about trying to score points, rather than building our game.

"We came out in the second half settled, got down to our work, and earned the right to get ourselves in positions to score. We managed the game pretty well.

"We've just got to be patient; just because you have a spell of possession doesn't mean you need to score.

"It's just attack that changed in the second half. Our defensive detail was really good. We played more power, and played more through the middle."

Leeds: Miller; Fusitu'a, Momirovski, Newman, Edgell; Croft, Frawley; Lisone, Ackers, Sangare, McDonnell, Martin, Smith

Interchanges: Watton-Nicholson, Bentley, O'Connor, Donaldson

Catalans: Rouge; Davies, Romano, Smith, Yaha; Mourgue, Fages; Navarette, Da Costa, Bousquet, McMeeken, Seguier, Garcia

Interchanges: Laguerre, Dezaria, Satae, Abdeslem

Referee: Liam Moore.