Reigning champions Bradford gave coach Brian Noble a rousing send-off with a tremendous victory to deny arch rivals Leeds the chance to take over top spot in the engage Super League.

The Bulls emerged victorious from a passionate derby, with teenager Brett Ferres scoring the match-winning try on his first Super League start a minute from the end.

Noble has yet to confirm he is to join Wigan as successor to Ian Millward but his side played as if they were determined to provide him with a fitting farewell in front of a capacity crowd of 17,700 at Headingley.

The Bulls started and finished in control of what was almost certainly Noble's last match.

They suffered a blow before kick-off when hooker Ian Henderson pulled out with a virus and they lost outstanding forward Chris McKenna with a shoulder injury just before half-time.

But they just about deserved their 10th win in 15 visits to Leeds in the Super League era, even if they left it desperately late.

They made the brighter start, with centre Ben Harris going close after eight minutes following a break by Andy Lynch, and it was no surprise when they took the lead after 13 minutes thanks to a smart try from makeshift hooker Stanley Gene.

Quick hands from Paul Deacon and Gene got full-back Michael Withers into a half-gap and the Papua New Guinea international was on hand to take a return pass and touch down.

Deacon added the conversion and the Bulls would have scored again but for a tremendous trysaving tackle on Withers by Leeds centre Keith Senior.

Leeds, without injured skipper Kevin Sinfield, struggled to gain a foothold in the game but they gradually withstood the Bulls onslaught and began to build some momentum.

They caused problems, particularly through the fancy footwork of danger man Danny McGuire, but the Bradford defence held firm magnificently until eight minutes before the break.

Even then, a crunching tackle from McKenna looked to have stopped Jamie Jones-Buchanan in his tracks but the Leeds forward offloaded for the supporting Gareth Ellis to touch down.

To make matters worse for the Bulls, former Leeds second rower McKenna hurt his shoulder attempting the tackle and was forced from the field.

Rob Burrow landed the simple conversion to tie the scores and Leeds would have been in front at the break had Ellis taken another neat offload from Jones-Buchanan with the tryline beckoning.

Buoyed by their score, Leeds made a flying start to the second half and added a second try within five minutes courtesy of jack-in-the-box Burrow to go in front for the first time.

There seemed nothing on when the diminutive scrum-half gained possession at a play-the-ball but he ran a diagonal line at the Bradford defence and veered past Deacon for a solo try.

He also added the angled conversion to make it 12-6 but the Bulls roared back with two tries in four minutes to regain both the lead and the initiative.

First skipper Iestyn Harris, once Leeds' favourite son, held off the challenge of full-back Richie Mathers to touch down after Lynch had set up the position with a ball steal.

Deacon's second goal levelled the scores and then put in a perfectly-judged kick to the corner for ex-Leeds winger Marcus Bai to collect and score.

Bai's joy was short-lived, however, for when he failed to deal with McGuire's lofted kick 10 minutes later Mathers was on hand to pick up and score the equalising try.

Leeds looked to have clinched victory when Bradford substitute Adam Watene was punished for a high tackle on Chris Feather, Burrow stepped up to kick the winning penalty.

But, in virtually the last attack of the match, Deacon spun the ball wide and Ferres, who turns 20 on Monday, grabbed an early birthday present by slipping through a gap for his first try of the season.