Leeds Victory Puts Pressure On Saints Boss Wellens

Betfred Super League

St Helens (0) 4

Try: Whitley

Leeds (10) 17

Tries: Lumb, Miller, Gannon Goals: Miller 2 Drop-goal: Sinfield

Leeds Rhinos sealed a Magic Weekend triumph complete St Helens which cranked up nan unit connected Saints coach Paul Wellens.

The Rhinos forged up successful a agleam opening pinch tries from Riley Lumb and Lachlan Miller but nan crippled degenerated into a messy matter pinch some sides making unforced errors.

Matt Whitley struck backmost for Saints early successful nan 2nd half but Lewis Murphy's sin-binning, a Jack Sinfield drop-goal and Morgan Gannon's precocious effort ensured Leeds took nan triumph which sends them 4th successful Super League.

Defeat intends Saints person now mislaid six of their past 9 games aft starting nan play pinch 4 consecutive wins.

Leeds leapfrog their opponents pinch a 3rd triumph successful 4 games, a tally only spoiled by their conclusion by leaders Hull KR past week.

They sewage that nonaccomplishment retired of their strategy successful nan opening shape arsenic Gannon's smart footwear popped up nicely for Lumb to pounce and people aft Gannon and Ash Handley had opened up nan defence.

Ten minutes later much enterprising attacking play from nan Rhinos saw Harry Newman nonstop Alfie Edgell racing down nan right, and he passed nan shot wrong to nonstop Miller complete and found a 10-point lead astatine half time.

Lumb pulled disconnected a try-saving tackle connected Jon Bennison but Saints seldom troubled nan Leeds statement successful nan first half.

Wellens sent connected knowledgeable brace Daryl Clark and Jonny Lomax, nan second controversially dropped a fortnight ago, and for a short while they started to portion their crippled together and soon into nan 2nd half they cracked nan Leeds defence arsenic Whitley went over.

That sparked an attacking spell for Saints, pinch Leeds errors inviting unit and Saints squandering it pinch scrappy disorganised rugby.

Tristan Sailor's interception and sprint downfield group Saints up perfectly but an incorrect play-the-ball costs them possession successful a threatening position, a infinitesimal that summed up their game.

Murphy's sin-binning took nan upwind retired of their sails and came arsenic he leaped precocious to stitchery a footwear and caught Edgell successful nan look pinch his knee, arsenic nan Leeds man kept his feet firmly planted connected nan ground.

Murphy was disconsolate and Wellens infuriated, and Leeds took advantage by going up nan different end, pinch Sinfield coolly drop-kicking nan shot betwixt nan posts.

Saints' misery was compounded arsenic what seemed to beryllium a debut effort for Deon Cross was ruled retired for a knock-on successful nan build-up earlier Gannon capped a good show by powering complete for a effort that made judge of nan points.

St Helens: Sailor; Bennison, Cross, Percival, Murphy; Welsby, Whitby; Paasi, Mbye, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Knowles

Interchanges: Lomax, Walmsley, Clark, Delaney

Leeds: Miller; Edgell, Newman, Handley, Lumb; Connor, Sinfield; Palasia, O'Connor, Oledzki, McDonnell, Gannon, Watkins

Interchanges: Holroyd, Lisone, Bentley, Jenkins

Referee: Jack Smith