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Hull 25-24 Leeds
Paul Cooke touched down three minutes from time as Hull snatched the Powergen Challenge Cup from Leeds' grasp at the Millennium Stadium with a 25-24 win.
Hull had dominated proceedings as they chased a first cup success for 23 years but the game seemed up as Mark Calderwood and Marcus Bai scored to put Leeds ahead late on.
Yet Hull refused to give up and Cooke's brilliant dummy created a hole for the decisive try and Danny Brough held his nerve to convert.
It was a rare error-filled performance from Leeds, whose decision to play injured Keith Senior backfired, but their late burst looked to have won the cup.
Motu Tony, Gareth Raynor and Richard Whiting tries had put Hull in control, but Calderwood's effort on 67 minutes, his second of the match, seemed to have turned the tide until Cooke went over.
Hull started nervously and Leeds skipper Kevin Sinfield looked to test their back line, Nathan Blacklock filling in at full-back for the hospitalised Shaun Briscoe, with deep kicks at every opportunity.
The plan paid dividends in the 11th minute as Blacklock and Raynor both went for a high ball and collided.
The ball ran loose and although Mark Calderwood was denied the chance to touch down as Raynor pulled him back, video referee Bob Connolly awarded him a penalty try.
It was the Wigan-bound winger's 32nd try in all competitions this season and was converted by Sinfield.
Hull responded positively to the setback and levelled the scores midway through the first half with a brilliant try from Tony.
Richard Whiting flicked Shayne McMenemy's kick in his direction and the Kiwi improvised superbly, chipping the ball over the Leeds defence and beating Richie Mathers to the line to score. Danny Brough landed the conversion from out wide to tie the scores at 6-6.
The try restored Hull's confidence and they began to look the more dangerous team. They had two tries disallowed, first when Kirk Yeaman was ruled to have knocked on as he ground the ball and then when Blacklock was ruled offside.
The pitch was cutting up and the players were struggling to keep their feet, but Hull looked the more comfortable.
Senior was removed at half-time but Leeds could not regain their composure and fell behind five minutes into the second half after a dreadful pass by Mathers was intercepted by Tony.
Cooke took up the attack and the ball was fed wide, Raynor applying the finishing touch in the corner after a smart pass by Blacklock. Brough converted nervelessly from the touchline.
But Leeds are made of stern stuff and hit back forcefully to level the match again when prop Danny Ward forced his way over and Sinfield added the extras.
Yet no sooner had they got back into the game than they switched off again, falling behind after a catastrophic blunder by Marcus Bai.
Bai swept up a Horne kick in the in-goal area well enough but inexplicably tried to offload and passed to Richard Whiting, who promptly touched down.
Brough converted and later added a drop goal for good measure but the game was far from over.
Leeds dug deep into their reserves and got themselves back into the game 13 minutes from time when Calderwood weaved through several tackles to score.
They quickly followed up with another try to reclaim the lead, Bai outjumping Tony to claim a Mathers kick and atone for his earlier blunder.
Sinfield, sporting a bandage after a head wound sustained last week reopened, converted both to give the Rhinos a 24-19 lead.
It was harsh on Hull, but they did not give up and deservedly got back in front after 77 minutes when Cooke dummied and found a hole to score. Brough's conversion put them one point ahead and they clung on in a nervous last minute.
Hull: Tony, Blacklock, Yeaman, Whiting, Raynor, R. Horne, Brough, Dowes, Swain, Carvell, McMenemy, Kearney, Cooke.
Replacements: Thackray, King, Chester, Saxton.
Leeds: Mathers, Calderwood, Walker, Senior, Bai, Sinfield, Burrow, Bailey, Diskin, Ward, Lauitiiti, McKenna, Ellis.
Replacements: McGuire, Poching, Jones-Buchanan, Dunemann.
Referee: Steve Ganson (St Helens)
Paul Cooke touched down three minutes from time as Hull snatched the Powergen Challenge Cup from Leeds' grasp at the Millennium Stadium with a 25-24 win.
Hull had dominated proceedings as they chased a first cup success for 23 years but the game seemed up as Mark Calderwood and Marcus Bai scored to put Leeds ahead late on.
Yet Hull refused to give up and Cooke's brilliant dummy created a hole for the decisive try and Danny Brough held his nerve to convert.
It was a rare error-filled performance from Leeds, whose decision to play injured Keith Senior backfired, but their late burst looked to have won the cup.
Motu Tony, Gareth Raynor and Richard Whiting tries had put Hull in control, but Calderwood's effort on 67 minutes, his second of the match, seemed to have turned the tide until Cooke went over.
Hull started nervously and Leeds skipper Kevin Sinfield looked to test their back line, Nathan Blacklock filling in at full-back for the hospitalised Shaun Briscoe, with deep kicks at every opportunity.
The plan paid dividends in the 11th minute as Blacklock and Raynor both went for a high ball and collided.
The ball ran loose and although Mark Calderwood was denied the chance to touch down as Raynor pulled him back, video referee Bob Connolly awarded him a penalty try.
It was the Wigan-bound winger's 32nd try in all competitions this season and was converted by Sinfield.
Hull responded positively to the setback and levelled the scores midway through the first half with a brilliant try from Tony.
Richard Whiting flicked Shayne McMenemy's kick in his direction and the Kiwi improvised superbly, chipping the ball over the Leeds defence and beating Richie Mathers to the line to score. Danny Brough landed the conversion from out wide to tie the scores at 6-6.
The try restored Hull's confidence and they began to look the more dangerous team. They had two tries disallowed, first when Kirk Yeaman was ruled to have knocked on as he ground the ball and then when Blacklock was ruled offside.
The pitch was cutting up and the players were struggling to keep their feet, but Hull looked the more comfortable.
Senior was removed at half-time but Leeds could not regain their composure and fell behind five minutes into the second half after a dreadful pass by Mathers was intercepted by Tony.
Cooke took up the attack and the ball was fed wide, Raynor applying the finishing touch in the corner after a smart pass by Blacklock. Brough converted nervelessly from the touchline.
But Leeds are made of stern stuff and hit back forcefully to level the match again when prop Danny Ward forced his way over and Sinfield added the extras.
Yet no sooner had they got back into the game than they switched off again, falling behind after a catastrophic blunder by Marcus Bai.
Bai swept up a Horne kick in the in-goal area well enough but inexplicably tried to offload and passed to Richard Whiting, who promptly touched down.
Brough converted and later added a drop goal for good measure but the game was far from over.
Leeds dug deep into their reserves and got themselves back into the game 13 minutes from time when Calderwood weaved through several tackles to score.
They quickly followed up with another try to reclaim the lead, Bai outjumping Tony to claim a Mathers kick and atone for his earlier blunder.
Sinfield, sporting a bandage after a head wound sustained last week reopened, converted both to give the Rhinos a 24-19 lead.
It was harsh on Hull, but they did not give up and deservedly got back in front after 77 minutes when Cooke dummied and found a hole to score. Brough's conversion put them one point ahead and they clung on in a nervous last minute.
Hull: Tony, Blacklock, Yeaman, Whiting, Raynor, R. Horne, Brough, Dowes, Swain, Carvell, McMenemy, Kearney, Cooke.
Replacements: Thackray, King, Chester, Saxton.
Leeds: Mathers, Calderwood, Walker, Senior, Bai, Sinfield, Burrow, Bailey, Diskin, Ward, Lauitiiti, McKenna, Ellis.
Replacements: McGuire, Poching, Jones-Buchanan, Dunemann.
Referee: Steve Ganson (St Helens)
