A NERVELESS Danny Richardson snatched the spoils for Saints with a smartly taken drop goal sealing a thrilling 23-22 victory at Headingley.

Richardson had moments earlier slotted a touchline conversion to Ryan Morgan’s try to equalise after Saints had rallied from a 22-16 deficit to draw level five minutes from time.

Prior to that it seemed as though the depleted Rhinos were going to chalk up a deserved victory against the leaders after controlling much of the game.

It had looked as though Saints were going to continue the pattern of recent losses against the Rhinos after failing to get a grip of the strong clearances of Ryan Hall, the speed of Matt Parcell at dummy half and the Leeds offload game.

They had adopted a shrewd kicking game too, opting to keep putting the ball into touch on the last, rather than give Messrs Barba, Makinson and Grace a chance of a return in broken play.

Saints made a quiet start but thought they had opened the scoring in the 11th minute when stand-off Jonny Lomax weaved his way to over only to have the try disallowed for obstruction.

Leeds made it a 12-point turnaround, when Parcell was given room and he pierced the lime and dashed clear to send winger Tom Briscoe over. Liam Sutcliffe converted to give the hosts, playing in front of a noisy crowd, the 6-0 lead.

Saints eventually woke up and struck twice in the second quarter to take a 10-6 interval lead.

The first saw Ben Barba dash through from a standing start to claim his 20th of the campaign without a finger being laid upon him and Richardson's conversion levelling it.

The full back then teed up a try from Lomax, after an initial break by Mark Percival, to put Saints in front 10-6.

It remained nip and tuck in the second and Leeds drew level when Briscoe re-gathered a grubber kick from substitute Cameron Smith to score his second try of the game.

Leeds did get the bounce of the ball on occasion – and as predicted by Justin Holbrook ahead of the game – the offload game worked well and stuck.

Saints responded and James Roby was twice held up over the line and then Percival was similarly denied.

However, there was no stopping the England centre when he collected Barba’s pass to slice through and restore Saints' lead after Richardson’s switch play.

Richardson's touchline goal made it 16-10 – a kick that would prove vital in the grand scheme of things.

But there was no shaking off Leeds and so when Ryan Hall regained possession from the re-start they were back again knocking on the Saints line with big prop Mitch Garbutt forcing his way for a converted try.

Leeds then did what they are good at, no matter who is wearing the amber and blue, and they managed to retain possession at the Saints end and they turned the screw with Sutcliffe edging his side back in front on the hour with a penalty.

And it looked like game over when second rower Brett Ferres stormed over from a bouncing kick to make it 22-16 with nine to play.

Crucially Sutcliffe screwed the conversion wide to keep Saints in the hunt.

And two minutes later Percival sliced across before straightening up and sending Ryan Morgan over for their fourth try, with Richardson goaling.

Morgan had a chance to seal it but flicked his pass into touch with line broken instead of sticking hold.

But with two minutes to play Richardson get himself into the perfect spot to drop the goal.

Saints: Barba; Makinson, Morgan, Percival, Grace; Lomax, Richardson; Douglas, Roby, Thompson, Taia, Peyroux, Wilkin. Subs: Fages, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Knowles, Lees.

Leeds; Walker; Briscoe, Newman, Handley, Hall; Moon, Sutcliffe; Garbutt, Parcell, Mullally, Ferres, Walters, Cuthbertson. Subs: Holroyd, Smith, Dwyer, Ormondroyd.