Leeds Rhinos 24 Saints 16 Report by DENIS WHITTLE HAMSTRUNG by indiscipline resulting in the concession of 12 points from penalties!

One need look no further for a reason to explain Saints' exit from the Silk Cut Challenge Cup in this fifth round showdown at rain-soaked Headingley on Saturday.

Leeds' marksman Iestyn Harris also converted his side's two tries to finish with 16 points and, remembering his goalkicking reputation, underdogs Saints had only themselves to blame because they matched the rampaging Rhinos in every other department.

For, despite lacking injured skipper Chris Joynt and losing hooker Keiron Cunningham with elbow damage in the 9th minute, well-supported Saints' also managed a couple of touchdowns and were denied another through a hair-line forward pass decision in the second half.

Infringement-wise Leeds were as guilty as Saints in the first first half, which enabled Sean Long to kick three of his four goals to keep his team in contention by trailing just 12-6, but the Rhinos tightened their discipline in the second 40 minutes, Saints didn't - and paid the penalty!

It all added up to an opening half which, although of grinding intensity, was of stop-start nature and though the tempo increased later, I sometimes thought we had switched codes given the penalty flow for 'offences' which would have been laughed out of court a few seasons ago.

However, all has been sacrificed on the altar of speed, particularly at the play-the-ball, but with a place in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals at stake it is perhaps understandable that this latest meeting of Leeds and Saints was not the normal free-flowing classic.

This was nonetheless a praiseworthy team effort from Saints.

I thought full-back Paul Atcheson, wingers Chris Smith and Fereti Tuilagi were the pick of the backs, while up front stand-in skipper Paul Sculthorpe and Paul Davidson often caught the eye for sheer graft, as did 31-tackle Paul Wellens, who really came of age on his 19th birthday.

Facing wind and sun, Saints enjoyed an early fillip when Long landed a penalty after Powell held down Tommy Martyn, but Harris responded in like manner when Apollo Perelini fouled Terry Newton as the injured Cunningham left the field. Powell (on Long), Darren Fleary (on Nickle) and Perelini first on Martin Masella and then in being caught offside, ensured the tit-for-tat goal saga continued.

Atcheson soon distinguished himself with a line-saving tackle on Powell; Long responded with a searing break which was halted by Harris, and Leeds were now poised to end the try impasse.

The spadework was done by Jamie Mathiou and Marc Glanville, whose shrewd pass sent Sheridan racing across the face of the Saints defence to plunge over, with the touchline goal by Harris being the icing on the Rhinos cake.

Only a timely tackle by Smith on Francis Cummins prevented Saints going further behind before the teams swapped ends, but consolidation soon arrived for Leeds on the restart when Harris tacked on his fourth goal after being obstructed by Sonny Nickle.

Long and then Smith were placed on report; home substitute Lee Jackson (holding down) and Nickle (ball stealing) then headed for the sin-bin just before Martyn's superbly time pass put in Sculthorpe, but not to the satifaction of Mr. Cummings.

Undaunted Saints hit back when Martyn, Vila Matautia and Kevin Iro sent Paul Newlove over in the corner, and although Long could not convert the visitors were back in business in trailing by only 14-10 with 20 minutes left.

However penalties remained their achilles heel as Perelini (on Richie Blackmore) and Matautia (on Newton) cost Saints another four points, and it was game, set and match when Anthony Farrell found a gap to send Newton behind the posts for Harris to goal.

Never-say-die Saints had the last word when Martyn put Atcheson over for Long to convert, but the try was of no more than consolation value.

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