RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Tries: McDonnell 2, O'Connor, Holroyd, Croft, Jenkins, Watkins Goals: Connor 7
Leeds Rhinos moved two points clear at the top of Super League following a comfortable victory over Yorkshire rivals Bradford Bulls at Headingley.
James McDonnell scored twice on his 100th Super League appearance for the Rhinos, who bounced back impressively after their surprise defeat to Castleford Tigers last Sunday.
But the Rhinos, who scored seven tries in total, were dealt a blow in the first half when the league's top try scorer Maika Sivo had to be taken off with a suspected broken arm.
Struggling Bradford, who took the lead through Guy Armitage's try, slipped to a sixth defeat in seven Super League matches.
The Bulls broke the deadlock in the ninth minute when left edge centre Armitage superbly reached Chris Atkin's deft grubber kick and touched down just within the field of play.
Leeds were then dealt with a major setback as their 29-try wing Sivo picked up an injury when making a tackle on the halfway line and was seen with his right arm in a sling at the end of the game.
The hosts did not let that moment affect them, however, and McDonnell was alert to intercept a pass from Atkin to race clear inside his own half to dive over.
Three minutes after Jake Connor had a try chalked off for a double movement, the Leeds stand-off was in the thick of the action once more, firing a pass out to Kallum Watkins as McDonnell dotted down a simple second try on the right wing.
Rhinos half-back Brodie Croft then weaved in field and presented Jarrod O'Connor with the opportunity to dart through a gap and dive over just to the left of the sticks. Connor slotted the conversion to give the hosts a 12-point lead at the break.
The Bulls were briefly back in the contest within five minutes of the restart when Ethan Ryan caught Riley Dean's up-and-under, found Atkin and then received the return pass to dive over for a superb score on his 200th career appearance.
That proved to be only short respite for the Bulls as moments later Tom Holroyd took advantage of Connor's superb 40-20 kick to barge over from close range to help re-establish Leeds' 12-point advantage.
The Bulls were caught out in the back field when Connor's high kick was not collected by Connor Wynne and Croft pounced to dive over for Leeds' fifth try of the match.
Leeds scored once more on the hour mark when Cooper Jenkins broke through Eliot Peposhi's attempted tackle to dive over on the attacking right edge.
Bradford's day was summed up when Armitage intercepted a pass from Lachie Miller but Ryan knocked on at the vital moment when he threatened to race to the Leeds line.
More magic from Connor then saw Watkins stroll in for another try and Connor slotted the extras to make it seven from seven with the boot.
Leeds: Miller; Edgell, Newman, Bird, Sivo; Croft, Connor; Oledzki, O'Connor, Jenkins, Littlewood, McDonnell, Watkins.
Interchanges: C. Smith, Nicholson-Watton, Cassell, Holroyd.
Bradford: Aekins; Wynne, Armitage, Hooley, Ryan; Nikorima, Atkin; Sutton, Ackers, Ormondroyd, Steinwede, Fulton, Mellor.
Interchanges: Dean, Gardiner, Scurr, Peposhi.
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