London Irish (6) 12 Pens: Everitt 4 Leeds: (10) 16 Tries: Hyde Cons: Ross Pens: Ross 2 Drop Goals: Ross

The Exiles controlled play for long spells but only managed two Barry Everitt penalties in each half.

Hyde's try for Leeds was backed up by a conversion, two penalties and a drop-goal from Gordon Ross.

Irish struggled to create try-scoring chances until the final moments when Leeds managed to resist a series of five-metre scrums and claim victory.

Despite a lengthy injury list, Leeds are now in the top half of the table for the first time this season, much to the delight of boss Phil Davies.

"They were a big last five minutes for us and brave decisions by the referee to do what he did," said Davies.

I thought we should've had a penalty try London Irish coach Gary Gold

"The 13 guys that were there were magnificent. We played with a lot of tenacity and for effort and determination we deserved 10 out of 10.

"These guys are tough to beat here. I'd have been delighted if we'd won 3-0."

London Irish coach Gary Gold described referee Sean Davey as "a disgrace" after his side were denied a late penalty try.

"The officiating was a shambles and a disgrace," said Gold.

"People's jobs are on the line because of results like this - I don't know who is going to be accountable but I thought we should've had a penalty try.

"When you camp on their line and you've been superior in the scrum all day, what's it take to get a penalty try?"

London Irish: Horak; Armitage, Appleford, Catt, Bishop; Everitt, Hodgson; Hatley, Russell, Hardwick; Kennedy, Casey; Danaher, Dawson, Murphy.
Replacements: Durant, Paice, Roche, Strudwick, Mordt, Barrett, Mapletoft.

Leeds: Stimpson; Rees, Bell, Snyman, Biggs; Ross, McMillan; Shelley, Regan, Kerr; Murphy, Hooper; Dunbar, Hyde, Popham.
Replacements: Cusack, Rawlinson, Holt, Rigney, Dickens, Cardey, Morgan.