Leeds scored 24 unanswered points in the second half to halt St Helens' five-match winning run and draw level with engage Super League leaders Bradford.

The champions held a 19-14 advantage after an enthralling opening half but the Rhinos turned on the style after the break to secure a memorable victory in front of a 21,975 crowd at Headingley.

The lead changed hands three times in an enthralling Roses battle which was only decided in the final quarter.

Saints shrugged off the late withdrawal of Great Britain duo Lee Gilmour and Ade Gardner and Australian centre Matt Gidley to score three first half tries but Leeds, inspired by Great Britain captain Jamie Peacock, finished in total command.

Saints were forced to give a second appearance to Dean McGilvray three days ahead of his 19th birthday in a late reshuffle.

McGilvray, who was due to play in the curtain-raiser, took the place of Gardner while fellow teenager Stephen Tyrer deputised for Gidley, who pulled out through illness, and Paul Clough replaced Gilmour.

And Tyrer made a dream start with a try inside the first two minutes after brilliant work from Great Britain full-back Paul Wellens.

The reigning Man of Steel beat his opposite number Brent Webb, the New Zealand full-back, to reclaim the ball from Sean Long's high kick and worked the ball backwards from the tackle for Jason Cayless and Mike Bennett to get the youngster over the line.

Skipper Paul Sculthorpe added the difficult conversion to make it 6-0 but it was then Leeds' turn to dominate.

Wellens matched his attacking flair with defensive steel to deny both Webb and winger Scott Donald but he was unable to stop Donald grabbing an equalising try on 12 minutes after a superb round-the-man pass by Jamie Jones-Buchanan freed the Australian flier.

Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield added the goal and also converted a solo try from stand-off Danny McGuire on 22 minutes that edged the Rhinos in front.

The visitors were back level four minutes later, though, when a miraculous offload by Saints substitute Maurie Fa'asavalu gave loose forward James Roby a clear run to the line.

There was little to choose between two outstanding teams but Sinfield edged his side back in front 10 minutes before the break with a penalty awarded for a foul by James Graham on fellow substitute Jamie Thackray.

The lead was once more short-lived, however, for a 40-20 kick from Long set up the position for Wellens to jink past second rower Ian Kirke for Saints' third try.

Tyrer added the conversion and Long put over a 35-metre drop goal in the final act of a thrilling first 40 minutes to open up a five-point gap.

That was trimmed to just one inside a minute of the re-start when substitute centre Clinton Toopi forced his way over after magnificent work from half-backs McGuire and Rob Burrow.

Sinfield was off target for the first time but made amends with a second penalty, awarded for ball-stealing, after Lee Smith (Leeds) and Francis Meli (St Helens) had both spurned tryscoring chances.

Leeds began to get on top in the second quarter and it was no surprise when they went further in front, courtesy of Peacock's first try at Headingley for 11 months.

The Great Britain captain produced another monumental effort and proved unstoppable on a charge 15 metres out from the line.

As the Rhinos maintained their surge, Smith sent Webb on a run from halfway for their fifth try, to which Sinfield added his sixth goal.

And Smith was once more the provider a minute from the end, scooping up a loose ball and sending Burrow over for Leeds' final try and he also added the goal.