Leeds 17 Warrington 18: Briers' late kick knocks out Rhinos
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Your support makes all the difference.Lee Briers' drop goal 90 seconds from time gave Warrington their first-ever Super League play-off win last night and ended Leeds' season at a stunned Headingley. The Wolves had hung on throughout a gripping tie for their General to snatch victory at the end and set up a date with Bradford or Salford next week.
"He is the smartest, cleverest player in Super League bar none," the Warrington coach Paul Cullen said, adding that Briers had drawn confidence from a meeting with Brian Noble where the Great Britain coach explained what he needs to do to win a Test place. Apparently engineering play-off victories is one of the requirements, so Briers is a step closer.
Warrington were not helped by arriving through the motorway chaos 15 minutes before kick-off, forcing a 10-minute delay. Leeds wasted little time in extending a suitable welcome with Stuart Reardon's reflexes still on the coach as he spilled Kevin Sinfield's kick to concede possession from which Rob Burrow weaved through for the game's first try.
Briers was key to Warrington's reply, producing the attack on that saw Henry Fa'afili squeeze into the corner. Burrow then split the Wolves defence with a burst from his own half, with his old partner in crime, Danny McGuire, in support to finish the job.
Leeds would have been further ahead but for Clinton Toopi fumbling Ali Lauitiiti's pass, so only went in at half-time six points up.
Within two minutes of the restart, that lead was down to two points, thanks to Sinfield's pass to Chev Walker going into touch and Michael Sullivan scoring from Briers' long pass from the resulting possession.
Leeds edged further ahead with two more Sinfield penalties. But Warrington fought back as Briers' fine kick put Ben Westwood in for a try. Briers' conversion levelled the scores. Leeds hit back with Sinfield's drop goal, Briers levelled three minutes later. Thackray looked like scoring for the Rhinos when he charged down another Briers effort but the Warrington captain had the decisive word, slotting over from 30 yards and an angle.
Leeds staged one last desperate attack from a short kick-off but Warrington were not to be denied. "We were late off our bus for the second half," said the Leeds coach, Tony Smith, as the disappointment sank in.
Leeds: Tansey, Donald, Toopi, Senior, Walker, McGuire, Burrow, Jones-Buchanan, Diskin, Peacock, Kirke, Ellis, Sinfield. Substitutes: Millard, Lauitiiti, Thackray, Bailey.
Warrington: Reirdon, Fa'fili, Martin Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Barnett, Briers, Bridge, Wood, Mark Gleeson, Rauhihi, Swann, Wainwright, Westwood. Substitutes: Sullivan, Parker, Riley, Pickersgill.
Referee: A R Silverwood (Mirfield).
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