Leeds Rhinos 38 Wigan Warriors 14

Champions Leeds Rhinos came from 12-6 down to gain their biggest-ever away win over Wigan Warriors with a 38-14 triumph that opens up a four-point lead in the engage Super League.

The Rhinos dropped three of their six points at the JJB Stadium in 2004 but they safely negotiated a tricky hurdle against committed opponents who faded badly towards the end.

Barnstorming centre Keith Senior scored two first-half tries, taking his tally for the season to 11, to put the visitors on their way and substitute Liam Botham got the decisive score after the break.

It was a tight contest for an hour but Leeds? extra class told in the end, with the Warriors defence cracking three times in the final quarter.

Wigan skipper Kris Radlinski did his best to halt the leaders, matching Senior?s feat to take his try tally for the season to eight but the Rhinos fully deserved their ninth win of the season.

The Rhinos started and finished impressively, creating the first scoring opportunities through centre Chev Walker.

Radlinski denied the Great Britain international with a brilliant try-saving tackle before he then lost the ball as he attempted to touch down at the corner.

The misses began to look costly when Wigan scored from their first attack, fit-again scrum-half Dennis Moran producing an electrifying burst to get Radlinski over for the game?s first try.

With both sides making errors with the greasy ball, there was little momentum from either team but the game opened up even more when front rowers Jerry Seuseu (Wigan) and Barrie McDermott (Leeds) were sin-binned on 11 minutes for fighting.

Leeds full-back Richie Mathers emulated Radlinski with a last-gasp tackle to halt second rower Danny Tickle short of the line and, as play swung to the other end, Senior grabbed his first try, courtesy of Andrew Dunemann?s long pass.

Radlinski restored his side?s lead on 23 minutes, slicing through a yawning gap in the visitors? defence, and Tickle kicked his second goal but the champions hit their straps with two tries in five minutes.

Second-rower Willie Poching made the most of a weaving run from scrum-half Rob Burrow by forcing his way over the line and then Senior scored his second after Burrow had cleverly flicked on a pass by Ali Lauitiiti.

Sinfield was off target for the first time with the conversion but Leeds thought they had scored again when substitute Danny McGuire went over from Lauitiiti only to be recalled for a forward pass.

The Warriors lost stand-off Danny Orr after he crashed heavily into an advertising board but they cut the deficit to just two points with a Tickle penalty on 57 minutes.

But Leeds stretched their lead on the hour mark when Botham took Dunemann?s pass from dummy-half and dived over for only his second try for the club.

Sinfield, who set up the attacking position with a touch-finding kick from the re-start, added the conversion to make it 22-14 and that was the signal for the champions to cut loose.

Poching?s wonder pass got left winger Marcus Bai over at the corner, Lauitiiti took Sinfield?s offload to score and right winger Mark Calderwood grabbed a last-minute try to pile on the misery for the home side.

Sinfield took his goal tally to four before handing over to Burrow, who added the final conversion to complete the scoring.

Wigan: Radlinski, Dallas, Brown, Vaealiki, Aspinwall, Orr, Moran, Seu Seu, Newton, Guisset, Hansen, Tickle, Wild. Replacements: Godwin, Allen, Colbon, Hargreaves.

Leeds: Mathers, Calderwood, Walker, Senior, Bai, Sinfield, Burrow, Bailey, Dunemann, McDermott, Lauitiiti, Poching, Jones-Buchanan. Replacements: McGuire, Scruton, Smith, Botham.

Wigan: (12) 14. Tries: Radlinski 2. Goals: Tickle 3.

Leeds: (16) 38. Tries: Senior 2, Poching, Botham, Bai, Lauitiiti, Calderwood. Goals: Sinfield 4, Burrow.

Referee: Karl Kirkpatrick (Warrington)

Att: 16,022

Thanks to: http://www.superleague.co.uk for another excellent article.