Pratt’s fumble allows Wakefield to stun erratic Leeds at Headingley

Not in all his 14-year playing career can the current England coach have received such a gift.

The influential loose forward had been central to Wakefield’s cause as they built up an 18-0 lead on the hour mark against the dire Challenge Cup holders.

However, unsurprisingly given they could not get any worse such was the awful manner of their play, Leeds finally managed to overcome their grimness.

Somehow, Dean Lance’s men drew level with the visitors in remarkably swift time courtesy of converted Andy Hay, Jamie Mathiou and Francis Cummins tries to set up a frantic final nine minutes.

Daryl Powell and a young Kevin Sinfield both missed drop goal attempts – Rhinos captain Iestyn Harris was absent with a knee injury – while McNamara also saw two efforts fall off target as his underdogs sought the victory their commitment so clearly deserved.

The game seemed over though when Leeds’ replacement Karl Pratt picked up a Wildcats kick behind his own line for the final play.

However, the erratic full-back bizarrely fumbled to leave a stunned McNamara with the easiest of scores.

There was a sense of disbelief among the Leeds players and fans alike as their side, laced with international talent such as Kiwi Richie Blackmore, Great Britain veteran Powell and the explosive Adrian Morley and Barrie McDermott, conspired to commit professional suicide.

It was perhaps fitting that they did though given their turgid exploits in the first period.

Marcus St Hilaire fumbled in the first tackle of the fixture and things did not get any better for Leeds who were a pale shadow of the side that had wonderfully defeated St Helens in an epic Challenge Cup match the previous week.

Wakefield had been awful when knocked out by Bradford but with McNamara to the fore, Andy Fisher immense up front and Warren Jowitt, driving away, they responded in style.

McNamara furnished Francis Stephenson with a try after St Hilaire’s opening mistake, then ex-Leeds centre Adam Hughes forcibly shrugged off Platt and glided around Cummins for an excellent individual 40-metre effort.

McNamara converted the former and added a penalty soon after the re-start before Paul Sampson secured their third try on 46 minutes.

Leeds finally came to life, but their West Yorkshire rivals prospered thanks to that erring man Pratt.