Cooke's efforts in vain as Hull are left to stew

Hull 12 Leeds 28

Leeds' long-range opportunism ensured that they will go into the Super League play-offs in second place, but Hull must wait until this afternoon to learn whether their season is over.

This result means that the London Broncos will qualify for the play-offs for the first time, while Warrington can pip Hull for the final place if they avoid defeat by Wakefield today. It was a reminder of the importance of the two points they had deducted for a salary cap breach.

"It's a shame that's what it's come down to," said the Hull coach Shaun McRae, who said that he would be avoiding news from Warrington today. "Wakefield beat us a few weeks ago and maybe they'll do us a favour, but if I was a gambling person I'd put money on Warrington winning their last game at Wilderspool."

With a win crucial for both sides, a nervous start was to be expected, and Hull twice wasted promising field position with poor kicks. Despite that, it was they who settled first, the energetic Paul King getting his pass to Richard Horne who sent Paul Cooke weaving through for a try which he also converted.

Hull were pressing midway through the first-half when Keith Senior intercepted Horne's pass and went the length of the field for the converted try that brought Leeds level. Cooke kicked Hull back into the lead, but astonishingly Leeds struck again from their own 10 metres.

Cooke's kick hit Kevin Sinfield's shins and the Rhinos' captain gathered the ball to send Mark Calderwood on the long run to the other end of the KC Stadium. Sinfield landed the conversion and then set up Willie Poching for the third Leeds try just before half-time. The Samoan's nimble footwork took him past the Hull defence and Sinfield's third goal gave the Rhinos a 10-point lead at the break.

The try which brought Hull back into it was as extraordinary as anything which had gone before. Senior lost the ball in a tackle near his own line, Peter Lupton scooped it up and lofted a pass for Gareth Raynor to score in the corner.

Leeds then produced a copybook try, with Matt Diskin, Sinfield, Poching and Gary Connolly giving Rob Burrow the chance to show his pace. Sinfield added a conversion and a penalty as Leeds finished the game looking comfortable. They now have a two-week rest before taking on Bradford at Odsal with a place in the grand final as the prize.

Hull:Horne; Best, Lupton, Yeaman, Raynor; Cooke, Smith; Greenhill, Preister, King, McMenemy, Ryan, Chester. Subs used: Last, Dowes, Jowitt, Logan.

Leeds: Mathers; Calderwood, Connolly, Senior, Cummins; Dunemann, Burrow; Adamson, Diskin, McDermott, Furner, McKenna, Sinfield. Subs used: McDonald, Feather, McGuire, Poching.

Referee: K Kirkpatrick (Warrington).