Leeds reach Grand Final

With the scores locked at 24-24 and the tie heading for extra time, referee Steve Ganson awarded the visitors a penalty for offside and Sinfield kept his cool from 35 metres to dash Warrington's hopes of a maiden Old Trafford appearance.

It was the decisive act which enabled the Rhinos to become the first team from outside the top three to reach the Grand Final.

Warrington winger Matt King thought he had won the game for his side nine minutes from the end but his try was disallowed by video referee Ian Smith, who four minutes later also ruled out what would have been a hat-trick by Leeds winger Ryan Hall.

Leeds had centre Carl Ablett back after a two-match absence and he took just four minutes to make his mark, racing onto Danny McGuire's grubber kick to score the game's first try. Sinfield's goal gave the Rhinos a 6-0 lead and it took Warrington some time to get over the shock.

They drew level courtesy of a well-rehearsed move, King palming Lee Briers' high kick back for Chris Bridge to get Australian winger Joel Monaghan over for his 30th try of his first season in England. Warrington lost full-back Brett Hodgson with ankle-ligament damage on 32 minutes but they quickly shrugged off the blow to take the lead.

Michael Monaghan's trademark darting run from dummy half had the Leeds defence back-pedalling and Riley, switched from the wing to full-back, slipped the attempted tackle of Ablett to score his side's second try. Chris Bridge's second conversion made it 12-6 which accurately summed up the first-half play. Hall drew Leeds level a minute after the re-start when he sprinted 55 metres for a soft try.

The Wolves edged back in front on 48 minutes after running a penalty from in front of the Leeds posts, with King taking Richie Myler's long pass and crashing over despite the efforts of three defenders. Bridge's third goal restored his side's six-point advantage The game turned during a devastating three-minute spell midway through the second half with two superb long-range tries from the visitors.

The diminutive Rob Burrow made the break for the first, McGuire carried on the move and, when he was eventually collared by Ryan Atkins, he was able to offload to the supporting Hall for his second try. The Wolves were still reeling when Leeds full-back Brent Webb danced through their first line of defence to send Burrow haring away and Sinfield's fourth goal made it 24-18.

Leeds were made to pay for little errors on 68 minutes when Briers' inside pass got Riley over for his second try, with Bridge kicking his fourth goal to lock up the scores for a fourth time. King then went for the corner only for slow-motion replays to show he had been held inches short of the line in Ben Jones-Bishop's tackle and as the tension mounted, Leeds were awarded a penalty on halfway for interference by Solomona.

Sinfield's ambitious kick fell just under the crossbar and then came Hall's disallowed try for the slightest of knock-ons by Burrow. The drama continued right to the end, however, when Myler was caught offside after charging down Sinfield's drop-goal attempt and the Leeds captain maintained his composure to slot the 25-metre penalty between the posts.