Saints close gap on Rhinos

The champions, who had Scruton sent off after 53 minutes for a spear tackle on hooker Keiron Cunningham, were six points clear of their rivals eight days ago but are now looking over their shoulder after suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time since last July.

Saints' 11th straight victory, which was achieved by the margin of five tries to two, enabled them to avenge this season's home defeat by the Rhinos as well as their Old Trafford humiliation and also saw them gain a psychological advantage ahead of next month's Challenge Cup semi-final.

Referee Steve Ganson, in charge of his home-town team St Helens for the first time, placed on report a three-man tackle which left Saints substitute Maurie Fa'asavalu writhing in agony on the ground but the Samoa-born Great Britain international recovered to score the opening try.

The breakthrough finally came on 24 minutes when intricate passing by James Graham and Leon Pryce got Fa'asavalu into a hole and he bumped off full-back Brent Webb with surprising ease to cross for the opening try.

Sean Long added the conversion but the scores were level six minutes later when Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield touched down Danny McGuire's neatly-judged grubber kick and converted his own try to extend his scoring sequence to 63 matches.

Saints struck back when Long's kick hit the left-hand upright and took a wicked deflection to hand prop Bryn Hargreaves an easy try and four minutes later Pryce and Paul Wellens worked the ball out to the left where Francis Meli finished decisively.

The Rhinos were reduced to 12 men on 53 minutes when Scruton was sent off and Saints immediately made the extra man count, with half-backs Long and Pryce combining with Wellens and Willie Talau to get Meli over for his second try.

Leeds got one back when Keith Senior sent winger Scott Donald over but Saints made sure of the win when Long's high kick was plucked out of the air by Pryce for his side's fifth try.