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Rhinos rally to pick Wildcats' pocket at Murrayfield
Leeds Rhinos 34 Wakefield Wildcats 30 RHINOS came from behind to pinch Wakefield's pocket in the final game of the three-match opening day of the Murrayfield Magic Weekend.
Wildcats produced a stunning first-half display to lead Rhinos 28-16 at half-time.
In fact, Wakefield should have held a more commanding lead but let Leeds in right on the half-time hooter when winger Ryan Hall went in for the second of a hat-trick of tries, converted by Kevin Sinfield.
Wakefield winger Damien Blanch had gone missing as he had for Leeds' other two first-half tries.
Wildcats had gone in front on six minutes when Bailey shot out of the line and left an opening for Ben Jeffries to exploit. He also converted. Leeds could have gone ahead a minute before but Rob Burrow's score was ruled out by the video ref' for obstruction.
On 13 minutes Blanch plucked a high ball from the grasp of the injured Burrow (he left the action with a knee injury moments later) and raced round to the posts to give Jeffries a simple second shot on goal.
Wildcats led 12-0 but tries by Hall and Brent Webb in a four-minute blitz on Wakefield's often wingless right flank coupled with a Sinfield conversion but the gap to just two points.
Paul Johnson spun over the line to claim his first try in Wakefield colours on the half-hour - Jeffries converting - and two tries in three minutes for Blanch and Tevita Leo-Latu (a stunning solo score over 35 metres from dummy-half) hauled Wakefield out to 28-10.
But the slip by Wakefield just before half-time gave Leeds hope of a recovery in the second half.
Twenty-year-old Chris Clarkson forced his way over for his first Leeds try on 46 minutes, converted by Sinfield, to cut the gap to just six points.
Jeffries put over a penalty conversion on 52 minutes, perhaps sensing a close-run conclusion to this derby thriller.
Good hands from Danny McGuire steered Hall to his hat-trick just after the hour with Sinfield again tagging on the extras to leave Rhinos just two points adrift.
Wildcats had a try ruled out six minutes later for knock-ons by George and Murphy after which Wakefield started to look just a little jaded after such an outstanding - and encouraging - defensive effort that had frustrated the Super League champions for more than an hour.
But three minutes from time Leeds burst into life, McGuire sending the ball left, centre Keith Senior cutting back in-field and Webb sending hooker Danny Buderus over for the clincher.
Sinfield converted to avenge defeat by Wildcats earlier in the season and to also deny Wakefield their first-ever Super League seasonal 'double' over the Rhinos.
A real choker for players, coaching staff and fans, but the energy, enthusiasm, skill and desire on show on Saturday night suggests a quick end to Wakefield's five-match losing sequence and a speedy return to the top eight.
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Weather for Wakefield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
