Castleford (0) 8
Tries: Chase
Goals: Dixon 2
Leeds (2) 10
Tries: Watkins
Goals: Sinfield 3

Highlights - Castleford 8-10 Leeds (UK users only)

By Matt Newsum BBC Sport at the Keepmoat Stadium

Kevin Sinfield kicked a penalty in sudden death extra time to beat Castleford and earn Leeds a place in a second successive Challenge Cup final.

A Sinfield penalty separated the sides at the break but a fine individual try from Rangi Chase put Castleford ahead.

Two Kirk Dixon penalties extended their lead but Kallum Watkins' late converted try took the game to extra time.

Sinfield then sealed a Wembley date with Wigan by slotting home after a high tackle on Danny McGuire.

Castleford were boosted Chase's availability after a week of speculation about his fitness, and it was he and opposing half-back Sinfield who were at the heart of a nervy first period.

The pair traded tricky bombs, testing the handling skills of Rhinos wing Ben Jones-Bishop and Tigers full-back Ryan McGoldrick in a first half heavy in perspiration but lacking inspiration.

LEEDS' CHALLENGE CUP RECORD No. of finals - 21 Finals won - 11 Last won - 1999 (52-16 v London Broncos) Finals lost - 10 Last defeat - 2010 (30-6 v Warrington)

However it was Leeds who ended the half the stronger. Carl Ablett was a forward pass away from the game's first try, and Sinfield kicked the Rhinos ahead on 23 minutes to earn a slender half-time advantage.

The second period started brighter as Leeds poured pressure on their Yorkshire rivals, with Ablett seeing a try chalked off for a foot in touch after a fine solo run earlier in the set from Jones-Bishop.

However, there was barely time to breathe before Chase ignited the game with a stunning individual try.

The 25-year-old eluded Brent Webb down the left, dummying a pass inside before sprinting the final few yards to the line to dive over.

Dixon missed the conversion but made up for that by then landing a penalty to extend the lead to four points.

Some excellent scramble defence from Castleford protected the lead as the Rhinos got agonisingly close to the line, with Rob Burrow and Brett Delaney among those denied.

A second Dixon penalty with 10 minutes remaining meant Leeds needed a converted try to draw level.

And they did just that when Watkins touched down in the corner following a delightful pass out of the back of the hand from Weller Hauraki, and Sinfield landed a difficult kick to tie the game at 8-8.

Chase missed a last minute drop-goal attempt to win the game to set up an agonising period of golden point extra time.

It was only a couple of minutes old when referee Phil Bentham ruled there had been a high tackle on McGuire and Sinfield coolly stepped up to kick the goal that sent Leeds back to Wembley.

Castleford: McGoldrick, Dixon, Youngquest, Arundel, Owen, Chase, Orr, Jackson, Milner, Parker, Ferres, Jones, Aspinwall.

Replacements: Hudson, Isa, Thompson, B. Davies.

Leeds: Webb, Jones-Bishop, Watkins, Ablett, Hall, Sinfield, Burrow, Leuluai, Buderus, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Delaney, Clarkson.

Replacements: McGuire, Bailey, Kirke, Hauraki.

Att: 13,158

Referee: Phil Bentham (Warrington)

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version