Maika Sivo scored his fourth hat-trick of the Super League season to lead Leeds Rhinos to a 40-22 victory over Wakefield Trinity, keeping them at the top of the table.
The Fiji winger crossed three times at Headingley on Thursday night, taking his try tally to 19 in all competitions this season. Despite spending 10 minutes in the sin-bin, Sivo's finishing proved decisive as Leeds held off a stubborn Wakefield fightback.
Leeds raced into a 14-0 lead through Sivo's first try and a Kallum Watkins score, only for Wakefield's Oliver Pratt to reply. Sivo's second try restored the 14-point margin before his sin-bin just before halftime for a high tackle allowed Tray Lolesio to power over for Wakefield, making it 20-12 at the break.
Ash Handley's sin-binning early in the second half gave Wakefield further hope, and Jayden Myers scored twice to close the gap to four points. But Leeds responded through Brodie Croft's brace and Sivo's third try, with Jake Connor adding eight goals to seal the win.
"We had to dig deep tonight," said Leeds coach Brad Arthur. "Wakefield tested us, but the boys showed character to pull through."
The Rhinos now have 18 points from 10 games, two clear of second-placed Wigan. Wakefield stay sixth after a spirited display that stretched the league's meanest defence but ultimately fell short.