Peter Smith's Leeds Rhinos player ratings from 20-16 loss to Leigh Leopards

Leeds thought they’d grabbed a late equaliser - with a conversion to come to win it - but Ryan Hall’s touchdown was ruled out by video referee Marcus Griffiths after being awarded on-field. He ruled Hall’s foot had brushed the touchline.

The result means Leeds’ advantage over Wigan Warriors at the top of Betfred Super League could be down to points difference by the end of this round and brings Wakefield Trinity back into the race for a home semi-final. On the back of a six-one penalty count and four set-restarts to Leigh’s three, Leeds had enough pressure to win several matches, but the visitors defended superbly and took their limited chances when they came. They scored four tries to two, so credit to them.

James McDonnell’s absence with a pectoral muscle injury robbed Rhinos of one of their most effective defenders and third-highest try scorer. It also left them with an inexperienced bench, including Zak Lloyd with one previous appearance and the recalled Fergus McCormack, who didn’t get on for his fourth. Lloyd got lengthy game time and looked very good.

Rhinos scored at the end of their first set when the scrum-hatted Lachie Miller’s kick was spilled by Umyla Hanley and Jake Connor picked up and threw a remarkable pass to Hall who marked his return from injury with a walk-in. Connor goaled from the touchline.

Leigh hit straight back with an impressive finish by Josh Charnley from Hanley’s pass and Adam Cook levelled matters by converting from wide out. Leeds staged a series of raids after that, but their next points were a penalty goal by Connor for Joe Ofahengaue’s late challenge on Miller. That was missed by referee Chris Kendall, but spotted by video official Griffiths after Ash Handley knocked on and made a captain’s challenge.

Leigh’s second attack produced, eventually, their second try, scored by Innes Senior. He seemed to have been tackled into touch by Miller, but Griffiths overturned the on-field decision. In the same set he’d also rejected a Leeds captain’s challenge and upheld a Leigh on. Leeds conceded to 12 men with Robbie Mulhern off the field on a green card.

Leigh should have scored in the next set, but David Armstrong’s pass to Edwin Ipape was forward and he dropped it anyway. From that, Rhinos received a set-restart on the last, Miller played a one-two with Handley and the full-back’s pass put Brodie Croft over for his 26th try of the season.

Leigh levelled just before the break when Cook improved Senior’s second try, but Connor kicked Leeds ahead again with a penalty from near the touchline soon after half-time.

Rhinos attacked for most of the second half, but a breakaway try by Hanley which Cook improved gave Leigh the lead with 24 minutes left and, through a combination of superb opposition defence and some poor decision-making the hosts couldn’t find a breakthrough, though Hall was desperately unlucky late on.

In the curtain-raiser, Rhinos’ reserves secured their play-off place with a 66-4 hammering of Hull FC in their final league game. Try scorers for Rhinos, who led 44-0 at half-time, were Elliott Fox, Callum Webster, Dylan Hutchinson and Jeremiah Mata'utia with two each, plus Oscar Brown, who returned from long-term injury, Jacob Stead, Harry Smith and Wade White. Harley Thomas converted 10 of the 12 tries.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Newman, Bird, Handley, Hall, Croft, Connor, Oledzki, O’Connor, Jenkins, Watkins, Hankinson, Smith. Subs Holroyd, Cassell, Lloyd, F McCormack.

Leigh Leopards: Armstrong, Senior, Badrock, Hanley, Charnley, Cook, Lam, Ofahengaue, Horne, Liu, Trout, Hughes, Brogan. Subs Alick-Wiencke, Ipape, Mulhern, Davis.

Referee: Chris Kendall (Huddersfield). Attendance: 15,018.