Before tonights encounter the Wolves will have had revenge on their minds for a loss six weeks ago, whereas Leeds will still have been smarting from the loss to the Crusaders at Headingley last week. With the Giants drawing on friday night we'd slipped to sixth in the table, and the home side were now four points adrift of the top spot.

Both sides wanted this, both sides were desperate, the game promised to be a cracker.

We bring you all of the action here......

Despite picking up another rash of injuries the Rhinos starting thirteen was only two different from that which beat the Wolves six weeks ago (Webb and Clarkson out, Donald and Ablett in). There was no doubt that we started the game with the weakest looking bench of the season, and with six first teamers on the injury list this was far from the best side that would have lined up given the blessing of full fitness. But there was still some hope, despite us being underdogs.

The clock was just five minutes old when Warrington took full advantage of a penalty conceeded by Leeds for offside. Gaining good field Westwood found King who steamrollered over the Leeds defence to score. Briers slid the kick right of the sticks.

On fourteen we were treated to a sensational vintage Senior try. He got the ball on the his own forty off an Eastwood pass and then jinked his way to the line to score under the posts. It was pace we thought had deserted the great bald one. Sinfield converted from right in front of the sticks for a 6-4 lead.

The twentieth minute saw the home side back in front. A missed tackle on Bridge allowed him to break and chip to the corner for Hicks to collect and score unopposed near the flag. Briers missed the conversion attempt but it was 6-8.

Superb Try

Leeds were visibly tiring, and Lee Smith limping, as Warrington went over again on twenty-five thanks to a Solomona half break and pass for Atkins to cross. Briers missed again and we were just one converted try behind at 6-12. Thirty-one minutes on the clock and Eastwood was the Rhinos hero. A late Wood flop on Lee Smith got Leeds position and a beatiful pass from McGuire found Eastwood on the angle and there was no stopping him as he went over under the posts. Sinfield kicked the two to square us at 12-12.

Four minutes to the interval and a Briers crabbing move at the end of a great period of keeping it alive saw him pass to Hicks who went over to score despite the best efforts of the Leeds defence to hold him up in goal. Briers managed his first goal of the afternoon for 12-18.

On thirty-eight Delaney gave up the ball to Solomona in a one man tackle. We then held down in the tackle and Briers took the chance to kick the penalty for 12-20, a daft period of Leeds play and there was daylight.

To be honest it could have been a lot worse as Warrington had bombed a lot of chances. We were eight points down and had a lot to do in the second half.

The second half was just ninety seconds old when Leeds benefitted from a suicidal kick-off by Lee Briers. The ball not going ten gave Leeds a penalty and then on the last play Sinfield put in a cross field kick which saw Scott Donald rise above the Wolves defence to catch and score. Sinfield converted brilliantly from the touchline for 18-20. We were right back in the game.

The hope that we had of a quick fightback lasted until forty-five when a lucky bounce pass found Matt King to cross from five metres and improve the angle. Briers found the target and the deficit was back to eight. Forty-nine minutes and it was Leeds turn to score as Buderus used brute strength to force his way over from dummy-half. Sinfield kicked the extras and again the margin was back to two at 24-26.

Big Game

On fifty-one we hit the front for the first time in the game when Ryan Hall crossed in the corner off a pinpoint McGuire pass. Once again Sinfield kicked brilliantly from the touchline for 30-26.

On the hour mark the Wolves benefitted from a cynical Briers foul on Donald missed by the referee. The Wolves took full advantage and worked the ball downfield and Riley went over. Briers missed what looked like a simple conversion and we were tied up at 30-30. We were witnessing a cracker.

The quality just kept coming. On sixty-five McShane went from dummy-half and found McGuire on the half-way line. Danny threw the dummy, bought by Mathers, and he went over under the sticks. Sinfield added the two for 36-30.

On seventy-four Sinfield sealed it with a superb forty-five metre drop goal to give us a 37-30 lead.

This was a fabulous Leeds performance after last weeks crushing defeat. The Leeds walking wounded took on a full strength Wolves and came away with the two points. Warrington bombed a handful of first half chances and the Rhinos made them pay for it with a sensational second half performance.

We're back into it after last weeks blip - next up, Saints at HQ next saturday.