PA Sport © PA Sporting Life Ltd 2001
Leeds shook off a 12-point deficit to land their first win in five matches and give coach Daryl Powell his first win in charge.
Castleford dominated the early stages, with winger Darren Rogers scoring two tries in the opening 20 minutes, but a young Leeds side lasted the pace better and ran in six tries.
The Tigers had a try disallowed in the fifth minute, winger Jon Wells crossing in the right corner but only after a knock-on by Barrie Jon Mather after Mitch Healey had hoisted the ball towards the flank.
But Castleford did not have long to wait for the first points. In the 12th minute Lee Harland did well to slip the ball out in the tackle 25 metres out, for Rogers to squeeze in at the corner. Danny Orr landed a magnificent conversion.
Worse was to follow for Leeds, who were again exposed as centre Michael Eager made a strong break to send Rogers in for his second try, Orr's goal extending Castleford's lead to 12 points.
Leeds halved the deficit on the half-hour, Keith Senior racing 30 metres before slipping the ball inside for Marcus St Hilaire to dart over the line. Iestyn Harris sent St Hilaire between the posts for his second try, Harris landing both conversions but after Kevin Sinfield had scored Leeds' third try, the Leeds skipper missed with his third conversion attempt.
Harris, though, had stamped his class on the game and it was his fine break near halfway that paved the way for St Hilaire to complete his hat-trick 12 minutes into the second half, Harris adding the goal.
Just when it seemed Castleford were a spent force they put themselves back in the hunt when Orr converted his own try from in front of the posts.
Once again Leeds needed to show their resilience and poor defensive work by the Tigers enabled Anthony Farrell to break through for the Rhinos' fifth try. Harris and Senior combined to put Francis Cummins over for Leeds' sixth try and although Michael Eager crossed for Castleford's fourth touchdown there was no way back for the Tigers.
Castleford bounced back from two defeats to shatter Halifax's hopes of halting their bad run in Super League.
The Blue Sox, who have lost their last five matches, led 24-18 early in the second half.
But Castleford finished the stronger side, inspired by stand-off Danny Orr and sub forward Michael Smith.
Orr landed seven goals and New Zealander Smith grabbed the clinching try eight minutes from time.
Castleford took a fifth-minute lead when half-backs Mitch Healey and Orr linked to send centre Michael Eagar in for the first of his two first-half tries which Orr goaled.
Halifax levelled three minutes later when Brett Goldspink and Stuart Donlan made the opening for Daryl Cardiss to go over and Danny Tickle converted.
Orr's clever kick then set up a 13th-minute try for full back Richard Gay which Orr improved to put the Tigers 12-6 up.
Halifax's Tickle had a touchdown disallowed for a forward pass before he reduced the arrears with a penalty goal.
Castleford's Eagar then had a try ruled out before Halifax snatched an 18-12 lead with two tries in three minutes.
Goldspink sent in Oliver Marns and Tickle was awarded a penalty try after having the ball knocked from his grasp in a two-man tackle as he dived over the line. Tickle converted his own try.
The Tigers made it 18-18 three minutes before half-time when Orr's long pass put Eagar in for his second and Orr added a touchline goal.
Cardiss' second touchdown and Tickle's fourth goal in the 45th minute gave the Blue Sox a six-point advantage but Castleford rallied superbly.
Aaron Raper and Gay sent winger Jon Wells over after 55 minutes and Smith got the late clincher after Orr's kick rebounded off a post.
By Ian Laybourn, PA Sport © PA Sporting Life Ltd 2001
Grand Slam champions St Helens redeemed themselves for their Headingley horror show with a crucial Super League win to preserve their top-five spot.
Saints were made to fight all the way by a Castleford side lacking seven regulars through injury but, after crashing 74-16 to Leeds and conceding 130 points in their previous two League matches, they were relieved just to get back to winning ways.
The depleted Tigers, who gave a debut to former Leeds hooker Andy Speak, trailed only 10-6 at the interval but were ultimately destroyed by the forceful running of Keiron Cunningham and the clever handling of back row forwards Paul Sculthorpe and Peter Shiels.
Castleford, with only one win in 11 Super League meetings with St Helens, shrugged off the absence of half their first-choice line-up to dominate the first quarter.
They made a dream start with lively stand-off Danny Orr splitting the Saints defence on seven minutes to pave the way for a try by centre Jon Wells and had another touchdown from Mark Lennon disallowed for a forward pass.
Saints were clearly rocking at that stage but once they settled, began to subject the visitors' defence to enormous pressure.
Full-back Jason Flowers, making his first start of Super League VI, pulled off a miraculous tackle to deny Cunningham and Sculthorpe was held up on his back over the line.
But the pressure eventually told, with Sculthorpe offloading from the tackle to get substitute Sonny Nickle over and then scrum-half Sean Long making the running for full-back Anthony Stewart to force his way over for the first of his two tries.
Orr pulled two points back with a penalty and Castleford missed a glorious opportunity to draw level in first-half injury time when left winger Darren Rogers dropped Orr's high kick to the corner.
Saints, playing in front of their home fans for the first time since their Challenge Cup triumph, showed glimpses of their scintillating best in the second half and pulled away from their depleted opponents with two tries in three minutes.
Long produced a typical jinking run to claim a solo effort and a superb break by Stewart set up the position for Cunningham to power over.
Long added both conversions to make it 22-6 but then gifted the Tigers a try when his wild pass, intended for winger Anthony Sullivan, was pounced on by Richard Gay.
But any chance of a Tigers triumph was ended on 58 minutes by Sullivan, who intercepted Sampson's pass and went 40 metres for a simple try.
Big second rower Ian Tonks claimed a third try for Castleford when he forced his way over from close range but Saints finished on top, with Stewart grabbing his second try of the game and Vila Matautia scoring his first of the season.
By Ian Laybourn, PA Sport © PA Sporting Life Ltd 2001
Jaded Bradford withstood a tremendous fight back from Castleford to claim a precious victory that took them back to the top of Super League.
The Bulls looked home and dry when they led 22-8 early in the second half but the effects of playing a third game in eight days almost proved costly.
The Tigers thought they had snatched victory in injury time when left winger Darren Rogers touched down at the corner but the try was disallowed after slow-motion replays showed he had a foot in touch.
Without five of their cup final team, Bradford will be relieved to emerge with both points as the leadership of Super League changed hands for the fourth time in a week.
A Danny Orr-inspired Castleford made the Bulls work for their second win in four days and once again they were indebted to the ace marksmanship of Henry Paul.
The New Zealand stand-off missed with his first shot at goal to bring to an end to his remarkable run of 35 successive kicks but went on to land his next six.
He also scored the only try of the first half, supporting a half-break by powerful centre Graham Mackay after only 13 minutes to give the Bulls the perfect start.
Paul made amends for his missed conversion with two successful penalties, one from in front of the posts and a second angled effort from 40 metres, to put his side 8-0 ahead.
Castleford, lacking only Mitch Healey and skipper Adrian Vowles, were refreshed by a fortnight's lay-off as they sought to climb back into the top five.
And they were unfortunate to be behind at half-time after enjoying long spells of territorial domination.
Prop Gareth Handford, who is on loan from Bradford, got full-back Richard Gay away only for referee Stuart Cummings to rule a forward pass and lively scrum-half Mark Lennon looked to have set up a try for Gay with a lighting break only for Robbie Paul to knock down the last pass.
The Tigers had to wait until the fourth minute of injury time for their only points of the half, which came courtesy of a penalty from stand-off Orr, who was obstructed while chasing his own kick.
Bradford extended their lead within three minutes of the restart when scrum-half Robbie Paul took a pass from Withers to force his way over from close range.
But the home side threatened an upset when the impressive Lennon broke through the first line of defence and off-loaded to the supporting Orr, who touched down and then added the conversion to close the gap to six points.
A third penalty goal from Henry Paul on 50 minutes meant that the Tigers had to score twice and, when Bulls hooker James Lowes burrowed his way over from dummy half two minutes later, the game once more looked to be over as a contest.
But Castleford, certainly the fitter side and with substitute Jason Flowers making an impact on his comeback from a shoulder reconstruction, battled to the end.
They scored a second try through winger Jon Wells, after smart work from the base of the scrum by Orr, who kicked the conversion and a subsequent penalty to set up a pulsating finish.
Orr dropped the ball over the line in Withers' last-gasp tackle but Gay raced over for a third try on 76 minutes following a superb break by Flowers and then came Rogers' dramatic late miss.
PA Sport © PA Sporting Life Ltd 2001
Dean Sampson bagged a hat-trick of tries as Castleford sped to an eight-try second-half romp over Huddersfield.
The Tigers were 20-8 down at the interval, but turned in a magnificent performance after the break to condemn the Giants to their 10th Super League defeat.
Sampson struck after 10 minutes, darting past two challengers on the left-wing for his first try and completed a fine passing move between Danny Orr, Lee Harland and Dale Fritz to run in for his second on 27 minutes.
Sampson completed his hat-trick 12 minutes from time when he sped away into the corner to consolidate the visitors' margin of victory.
This was set to be a challenging match for the Tigers as they were playing their third game in a week with a team shorn of injury victims Mitch Healey, Nathan Sykes and Aaron Raper among others.
The Giants had their best opportunity to end a losing run which goes back to last season against the weakened Tigers and the home side started brightly.
Scrum-half Ben Kusto romped 50-yards to put Huddersfield ahead on six minutes from Brandon Costin's pass.
And winger Martin Gleeson went in unchallenged after an amazing run from Graham Appo which started close to his own try-line on 34 minutes.
The Giants looked set for their first win of the season two minutes later when Andrew Frew pounced on a kick into the corner from Kusto to put the Giants 18-8 ahead.
Steve McNamara added the extra to leave the Giants with a comfortable lead at the break.
But the Castleford fight-back started soon after the restart when substitute Ian Tonks went over on 47 minutes and Castleford added further tries from Jason Flowers (51 & 62), Tonks (59), Jon Wells (67) and Danny Orr (74).
Huddersfield got a late consolation when Dale Cardoza went over in the corner for a try which McNamara converted.