Leeds Rhinos 42 Widnes Vikings 22 - Rhinos go joint top after '˜perfect' Easter

Kallum Watkins, on his way to scoring a late try for Leeds Rhinos. Picture: Steve Riding.

Leeds, backing up from their Good Friday victory at Hull, looked in complete command when they led 30-6 at half-time.

But Widnes scored three tries in eight second-half minutes to cut the gap to just eight points and Rhinos were reeling before late tries by Kallum Watkins and Matt Parcell sealed the win.

Leeds moved level on points with Super League leaders Castleford Tigers and their coach Brian McDermott was not too concerned by the second-half wobble. He said: “There were a couple of things involved in that, not least Widnes’ desire to get back into the game.

“I think we were running at something like a 40 per cent completion rate in the second half and I don’t care who you are, how good a coach you are or what type of team you’ve got, nobody can keep challenging against any team like that.

“They are a determined team. The last thing we wanted to do was give them an invite into the game and that’s exactly what we did.

“Credit to Widnes, they made it a contest when, if we had gone about things differently, it never would have been.

“I won’t get too wrapped up in the second half. Our first-half performance was great and we are gaining confidence, especially with the ball.”

Leeds were without Ashton Golding and Liam Sutcliffe due to injuries suffered at Hull and lost Anthony Mullally who suffered suspected broken ribs.

Stevie Ward and Brett Delaney played through niggling injuries and Ash Handley made an earlier-than-expected return from a knee problem.

Joel Moon touched down twice in the first half and Watkins, who converted all Leeds’ seven tries, Parcell and Tom Briscoe also crossed.

Tom Gilmore scored either side of half-time and kicked three goals and Chris Houston and Corey Thompson also went over before Leeds regained control.

Leeds Rhinos: Handley, Briscoe, Watkins, Ward, Hall, McGuire, Moon, Galloway, Parcell, Cuthbertson, Jones-Buchanan, Delaney, Mullally. Substitutes: Burrow, Garbutt, Walters, Baldwinson.

Widnes Vikings: Thompson, Marsh, Armstrong, Runciman, Ah Van, Gilmore, Craven, E Chapelhow, White, Buchanan, Dean, Houston, Farnsworth. Substitutes: Dudson, Walsh, Burke, Johnstone.

Referee: S Mikalauskas (Warrington).