Wakefield 20-13 Leeds: Trinity rally to give Willie Poching another win

Ryan Hampshire’s 74th-minute drop-goal and Joe Arundel’s last-minute try made the difference at Belle Vue as Trinity snapped Leeds’ three-game winning streak.

The Rhinos had Matt Prior sin-binned after just six minutes for a high tackle on Tom Johnstone.

Wakefield looked to take advantage of their extra man but the visitors’ defence held firm.

Leeds took the lead in the 14th minute after Brad Dwyer charged down Mason Lino’s kick. On the next play Tom Briscoe’s offload put Kruise Leeming through a hole for the hooker to touch down, and Rhyse Martin converted the try to make it 6-0.

Trinity tried to fashion a response but their ball-control let them down.

In the 26th minute Briscoe went close to snaring Leeds’ second try, but the home team’s defence dragged him into touch.

Three minutes later Cameron Smith forced his way over the line, but was unable to ground the ball cleanly.

Wakefield continued to struggle to create attacking opportunities that troubled the Rhinos.

However, with six minutes left in the half, Kelepi Tanginoa strolled over to score after running off Jacob Miller. Lino nailed his kick from right in front to lock it up at 6-6.

But parity did not last long as Leeds hit back through Dwyer.

Rob Lui’s pin-point grubber-kick was gleefully picked up by the hooker to touch down, and Martin added the extras to make it 12-6 at the interval.

In the second half both sides found it difficult to keep hold of the ball.

Miller was held up over the try-line in the 51st minute thanks to desperate Rhinos’ defence, but on the next tackle Jordan Crowther crossed off Kyle Wood’s kick to give Trinity the chance to tie it up again.

Lino made no mistake with his conversion from right in front to make it 12-12.

Eight minutes later Harry Newman went close in the right-hand corner to giving Leeds back the lead, but Wakefield scrambled hard to deny him.

Tensions boiled over in the 65th minute when Chris Green hit Callum McLelland in a solid tackle. Prior and Green were both yellow-carded following the melee that followed.

Trinity piled the pressure on the visitors and Tom Johnstone almost managed to grab the winner after a bomb was hoisted into the in-goal.

With 11 minutes left Miller kicked a drop-goal to inch Wakefield ahead 13-12.

The Rhinos hunted for a response and Lui was held up over the line.

In the 71st minute they lost McLelland to injury when the half-back limped off, before Lui tied the scores with a drop-goal of his own.

The drama continued in the 74th minute when Hampshire snatched the lead back for Wakefield with another drop-goal, and then Arundel barged over in the last minute – converted by Lino – as the home team secured a memorable victory.