Leeds won a classic derby battle 42-38 in the most dramatic and controversial of circumstances to return to the top of the engage Super League and bring down the curtain in style on the Millennium Magic weekend.

Organisers had hoped to save the best for last and the West Yorkshire rivals duly obliged as the 26,447 fans gorged themselves on the final helpings of a feast of rugby league in the Welsh capital.

Substitute Jordan Tansey grabbed the match-winning try in the sixth minute of added time, following up a penalty kick by captain Kevin Sinfield which hit the crossbar and bounced back into play.

Bradford's players argued furiously about the penalty award and also claimed Tansey was offside from the kick but their protests were in vain as the match ended in farce.

Had Sinfield kicked the goal, a match of breathtaking intensity and gripping drama would have ended all square but for the second time in a month the unfortunate Bulls were denied at the death by the arch-rivals.

Michael Platt, Super League's leading scorer, sparked the 12-try extravaganza and he took his tally for the season to 14 in 13 matches, but a second hat-trick in as many matches enabled Leeds' Brent Webb to win the battle of the full-backs.

Leeds' victory was all the more remarkable after they were hit by the late withdrawal of hooker Matt Diskin (groin) and centre Ashley Gibson (knee) while Ali Lauitiiti, just back from a knee injury, hobbled off five minutes before half-time.

That meant a debut for 19-year-old winger Ryan Hall and for most of the match the Rhinos were playing catch-up as the Bulls set the pace.

Paul Deacon gave his side a dream start, setting up the position for an early penalty with a 40-20 kick and converting a seventh-minute try from Platt, who crashed over from Terry Newton's short pass.

The fleet-footed full-back went over for his second on 23 minutes to restore the Bulls' lead after Leeds had demonstrated their attacking flair with two tries in five minutes.

Winger Scott Donald scooped up a pass from Kevin Sinfield to get second rower Jamie Jones-Buchanan over before the dancing feet of Danny McGuire set up Webb for the first of his tries.

McGuire also had a try disallowed and Bradford's prolific scorer Lesley Vainikolo twice went close before adding to his remarkable tally on 32 minutes following a pass out of the tackle from James Evans.

Great Britain centre Keith Senior pulled a try back for Leeds but Bradford restored their eight-point lead on the stroke of half-time thanks to some quick thinking by hooker Ian Henderson, who stole the ball legitimately from Jamie Thackray and nipped over for an opportunist score.

It was a similar story in the second half, with Bradford unable to shake off their determined opponents.

Webb finished off a break by Donald to claim his second try but then blotted his copybook by being sin-binned for the fourth time this season, this time for dissent.

Bradford took advantage of the extra man, with centre Ben Harris charging over for his side's fifth try and Deacon kicking his sixth goal

Rob Burrow went over from a trademark jinking run before former Leeds captain Iestyn Harris came up with an interception to set up the position for prop Andy Lynch to crash over.

Webb kept the Rhinos firmly in contention when he hacked the ball on from Gareth Ellis' offload to complete his hat-trick, touching down inches from the dead-ball line.

When Leeds failed to score from 18 successive tackles near the Bradford line, their chance of victory looked to have slipped away.

Platt and Vainikolo even had further tries disallowed by the video referee as the Bulls looked to clinch matters but, when second rower Matt Cook was adjudged to be offside 50 metres out, it gave Sinfield the chance to strike for gold.