Wakefield Trinity 28 Leeds Rhinos 18: Wakefield top table as Leeds continue to stutter

While the reigning champions suffered a second successive defeat yesterday to see their World Club Challenge preparations take a further battering, an inspired Wakefield side maintained their 100 per cent start with a third consecutive victory to emerge as surprise leaders.

It was a richly deserved triumph in an absorbing West Yorkshire derby. Finally ending their hoodoo against their neighbours – Wakefield had never previously beaten Leeds in a Super League game at Belle Vue – John Kear's men attacked with verve and steely purpose from the off, defended heroically when a fitful Rhinos finally sparked into life and boasted a genuine match winner in the shape of Danny Brough.

The colourful scrum-half raced 80 metres to score a spectacular interception try, showing impressive speed to not only escape Danny McGuire but also hold off a desperate last-ditch challenge from the chasing England winger Ryan Hall, and created two others while adding four goals.

But it was a performance built on teamwork with Glenn Morrison so industrious in the pack, front-rowers Shane Tronc and Michael Korkidas wreaking havoc with their muscular charges and winger Dale Morton, after showing his try-scoring prowess against Catalans last week, twice producing crucial tackles on Keith Senior to highlight his defensive quality.

"I think the ghost of 2009 was laid to rest," admitted Kear, who had seen his side blow a sizeable lead to lose against Leeds in the dying seconds last season.

"But the sweetest thing for me was we took another step forward. We've improved each week.

"Danny Brough's not bad is he? (Warrington's) Lee Briers is a great reader of the game but just as he comes up with special plays we've got our man doing that here too.

"Everyone played their part though. All 17 of the guys can sit back and think 'I've done my job very well.'"

Leeds, looking to respond after suffering a shock home defeat to Castleford and with Melbourne Storm looming in a fortnight, were strangely abject with their distribution.

McGuire was left looking bemused when Kevin Sinfield's regular midfield pass to him sailed aimlessly to no one while Senior and Hall could only watch on as a woeful Brent Webb pass went straight behind them into touch and this continued for much of the match.

Wakefield had built up a 26-6 lead by the time the struggling visitors finally rediscovered their usual fluency and, despite Scott Donald's two subsequent tries causing some flutters, they had left it too late.

Rhinos coach Brian McClennan admitted: "We left ourselves too big a mountain to climb.

"We gave away too much possession and pushed the pass a little too much. Our timing wasn't right."

It certainly was not. Just as the RFL had trouble with their new hi-tech clock in the stands which was slightly out of time throughout the first half, so were Leeds.

Wakefield continually tried keeping the ball alive in the early stages and proved far more successful.

Tronc was particularly dangerous getting the ball out of the tackle and it was from one of the burly Australian's smart off-loads that Wakefield delivered their first try.

He found Brough who burst into acres of space down the middle of the field, Ben Jeffries offering the link and Sean Gleeson finishing off a sweeping 70-metre score.

Brough converted the 11th-minute try but it needed a timely tap tackle from Jason Demetriou to deny Leeds an immediate response, the Wildcats captain just doing enough to clip an accelerating McGuire after the stand-off had skipped past Jeffries from a scrum.

Tevita Leo-Latu should have increased the hosts' lead after Jeffries darted through a gap but the Tongan spilled his pass with the line at his mercy.

In a rare Leeds break, Senior swatted off Brough all too easily to advance down the left and the supporting Burrow seemed certain to score.

However, Brough got back brilliantly to atone for his error, bringing the scrum-half down and further frustrating the champions.

He added a simple penalty in front of the posts on 29 minutes after Danny Buderus was deemed not square, and then Jeffries slipped through the attempted tackles of Senior and Jamie Jones-Buchanan for Brough to convert and stretch them out to 12-0.

Sinfield and Jones-Buchanan linked smartly to get McGuire over and Sinfield added the extras but Leeds were soon erring again, Ian Kirke coughing up the ball on the first tackle and Brough slotting another penalty after more infringing.

Leading 14-6 at the break, Wakefield quickly extended that advantage when Brough intercepted McGuire's pass just two minutes after the re-start.

Sinfield was then sin-binned, paying the price for his side's persistent offending in the ruck, something which infuriated the captain and his coach who claimed there had been no communication from referee James Child.

The official – in his first season as a Super League referee – awarded a penalty count 17-7 in Wakefield's favour.

Centre Daryl Millard bagged the hosts' third try, collecting Brough's perfectly-weighted crossfield kick, while Sinfield was off and Leeds's late fightback was rendered worthless.

Wakefield: Murphy; Morton, Gleeson, Millard, George; Jeffries, Brough; Tronc, Obst, Korkidas, Morrison, Demetriou, Leo-Latu. Substitutes: Newton, Ferguson, Moore, Henderson.

Leeds: Webb; Donald, Watkins, Senior, Hall; McGuire, Burrow; Leuluai, Buderus, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Eastwood, Sinfield. Substitutes: Diskin, Kirke, Lauitiiti, Bailey.

Referee: James Child

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Danny Brough

Controlled the game for Wakefield with his intelligent kicking, clever distribution and support play.

Involved in everything for the home side, scoring the crucial try as well as creating the other two.

Villain: Kevin Sinfield

Hard to label him a villain as he was sin-binned for his team's collective ill-discipline but Leeds could ill-afford to be down to 12 men in that second period.

Key moment

42nd-minute: When Danny Brough set off after intercepting on his own 20-metre line, few – even himself – thought he could not get to the other end. But he did and the try was just the start Wakefield needed to the second half, his touchline conversion stretching them out to 20-6.

Verdict

Wakefield were the better side and were rewarded for their enterprise. John Kear has his side playing some terrific football with plenty of belief and spirit.

Next game

Wakefield - St Helens (a) Feb 26, 8pm. Leeds - Salford (h) Feb 19, 8pm.

Quote of the day

I can see some light at the end of the tunnel. I don't think it's a train.

– Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McClennan shows he is not unduly worried by his side's back-to-back defeats.