Leeds Rhinos ground out a narrow victory over Wakefield Trinity at Emerald Headingley today in an entertaining encounter that saw the Rhinos emerge with a 28-22 final scoreline.
The Rhinos coach Richard Agar decided against giving a debut to their star signing Kyle Eastmond, but Luke Gale was in the side, having made a recovery from his close-season surgery, and his side opened the scoring with a try from Luke Briscoe.
Trinity replied with a brilliant length of the field effort from wingman Tom Johnstone, and they followed it up with further tries to Innes Senior and and Matty Ashurst to take a 16-6 lead.
But the Rhinos fought back with three more tries of their own before the interval, with Liam Sutcliffe, Brad Dwyer and Richie Myler and two more goals from Rhyse Martin to give them a 22-16 lead at half-time.
In the second half Johnstone intercepted a Luke Gale pass in his own half and again ran the length of the field to touch down and Mason Lino’s conversion levelled the scores.
But it would be Leeds who clinched the decisive score, when Liam Sutcliffe and Myler combined to send Jack Broadbent over for his first Super League try. Martin missed the conversion but added a penalty goal to secure the points for Leeds
Rhinos: T – L Briscoe, L Sutcliffe, Dwyer, Myler, Broadbent; G – Martin 4
Trinity: T – Johnstone 2, Senior, Ashurst; G – Lino 3