Saints snatch stunning play-off victory at Leeds

Betfred Super League play-off eliminator

Leeds Rhinos (12) 14

Tries: Hankinson, McDonnell. Goals: Connor 3

St Helens (6) 16

Tries: Lomax, Bennison, Wright. Goals: Percival, Bennison.

Shane Wright scored pinch nan last play of nan crippled arsenic St Helens snatched a sensational come-from-behind Super League play-off eliminator triumph against Leeds Rhinos astatine a stunned Headingley.

It was not until aft nan last hooter sounded that Saints led, pinch nan shot crossing from near to correct and backmost again for Wright to decorativeness arsenic his broadside kept their hopes live connected nan last tackle of nan match.

It was a melodramatic triumph sealed astatine nan extremity of an energy-sapping half that nan visitors played without guardant Matty Lees, who near midway done nan crippled aft his woman went into labour.

A superb James McDonnell effort had sent Leeds into nan break 12-6 up, aft Jonny Lomax's fortuitously created people for Saints had cancelled retired Chris Hankinson's opener for nan hosts.

Leeds were wasteful successful their relentless pursuit of much tries aft nan break, pinch a Jake Connor punishment each they had to show for agelong periods of dominance.

It did not beryllium to beryllium enough, arsenic Jon Bennison snatched a precocious touchdown to group up nan stunning precocious turnaround which Wright completed astatine nan extremity of nan season's astir frantic and decisive infinitesimal truthful far.

The mesmerising decorativeness pinch a 16-pass move that criss-crossed nan pitch, and had Harry Robertson hit a number of tackles on nan way, sets up a semi-final travel to Hull KR connected Saturday, 4 October.

As Super League's 2 astir successful clubs, sharing 17 Grand Final wins betwixt them, nan showdown astatine Headingley betwixt nan 4th and 5th placed teams promised to enthral.

Both sides made a number of changes for nan knockout tie, pinch Saints' backs reshuffled aft winger Kyle Feldt was injured successful past week's triumph against Castleford, while Leeds could again telephone connected nan prolific Ryan Hall and Man of Steel nominee Jake Connor.

Scrum-half Connor played a portion successful Leeds' opening try, pinch nan shot quickly shifted done nan hands of Lachie Miller and Ash Handley earlier uncovering Hankinson to dive over.

The effort from Hankinson, aft he spilled a precocious shot astatine nan different extremity to induce unit connected Leeds, summed up nan chaotic quality of nan opening exchanges.

A operation of luck and speedy reasoning had Saints propulsion level, aft Curtis Sironen managed to return a precocious footwear earlier past offloading for Morgan Knowles, who spilled nan ball.

The forward, however, thrust a footwear retired to move what seemed destined to beryllium a knock-on into a sublime grubber footwear for Lomax to finish.

McDonnell went connected to reconstruct Leeds' advantage arsenic he bobbed and weaved his measurement done 3 attempted tackles to touch down connected nan half-hour mark.

Lees' departure astatine half-time near Saints short connected nan chair connected a physically taxing nighttime successful West Yorkshire arsenic Leeds piled guardant successful hunt of much tries aft nan break.

Leeds went connected to discarded a succession of chances to adhd to their lead, pinch a captain's situation from Saints besides seeing a Handley effort scrubbed off.

At nan different extremity it took a try-saving shove from Connor to support Bennison from crossing complete connected nan hr mark.

But nan winger would spell connected to propulsion a effort backmost to springiness Saints dream pinch 4 minutes near aft Connor had put nan hosts 8 points up pinch his penalty.

A Leeds punishment conceded for offside allowed Saints 1 past chance to salvage a memorable result, which Wright did for nan nine that gave his play renewed intent aft leaving financially-troubled broadside Salford connected loan successful August.

Leeds caput coach Brad Arthur told BBC Radio Leeds:

"It's shattering. I'm disappointed and I'm conscionable shattered for nan players because they person worked their backsides disconnected each twelvemonth and put a heap of effort into that and invested truthful overmuch into nan performance.

"I'm shattered for our fans who person invested truthful overmuch into nan team. It's a sadistic crippled sometimes.

"I don't deliberation we deserved for it to extremity for illustration that, but it did and we person to woody pinch it. And it will beryllium a reliable pill to swallow for a while, but it's going to person to make america better."

St Helens full-back Tristan Sailor told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra:

"I don't deliberation it has sunk successful yet, honestly. We astir had nan extremity of our play and we managed to get done and will spell to Hull KR adjacent week, and cleanable a fewer things up and beryllium backmost amended than ever.

"It's conscionable astonishing from nan boys and Shane Wright, successful conscionable his 2nd crippled for nan nine scores nan match-winner.

"There was decidedly immoderate vexation and we had immoderate things that relieved pressure, but we stuck successful location and sewage done successful nan end."

Leeds: Miller, Hall, Newman, Handley, Hankinson, Croft, Connor, Oledzki, O'Connor, Palasia, McDonnell, Gannon, Watkins.

Interchanges: Bentley, Lisone, Jenkins, Holroyd.

St Helens: Sailor, Bennison, Robertson, Percival, Cross, Welsby, Lomax, Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Knowles.

Interchanges: Mbye, Bell, Delaney, Wright.

Referee: Jack Smith.