Leeds were forced to settle for second place in the final engage Super League table despite a battling win at Wakefield.

A tense game was locked at 12-12 for most of the second half on a wet night at Belle Vue but a Kevin Sinfield try broke the deadlock and an Ali Lauitiiti double made the win safe.

Leeds had trailed after Scott Grix replied to Jordan Tansey's early effort with two tries but Scott Donald brought them back level at the interval.

The Rhinos had needed to win convincingly and hope for a Wigan win at St Helens to have a chance of finishing top.

That never materialised but they can at least go into the play-offs with confidence having been given a stiff examination by their neighbours.

Wakefield may also take encouragement from their performance.

The Wildcats scored the first points through a Brough penalty after the scrum-half was felled by a high tackle from Brent Webb, who was placed on report.

Webb took advantage of referee Steve Ganson's decision not to punish him by creating his side's first try with a smart offload for Tansey.

Kevin Sinfield converted but Leeds' advantage was short-lived as Wakefield powered straight back.

Duncan MacGillivray, made captain on his final appearance after five years at the club, first went close but was stopped just short by desperate Rhinos tacklers.

Grix made no mistake as he crashed over from close range moments later but Brough missed a straightforward conversion.

Brough almost made amends with a try as he chased his own clever kick but Leeds winger Donald got back to deny the Scotland international.

Yet Wakefield were in the ascendancy and worked the ball wide for Grix to claim his second with seven minutes of the first half remaining.

This time Brough converted from out wide but Wakefield could not hold their advantage for long as Donald picked up a loose ball, chipped over the defence and then darted through for his 26th try of the season.

Sinfield levelled at 12-12 before Brough missed a penalty shot in the last minute of the first half.

Brough almost conjured a try soon after the restart with a speculative high kick but Lee Smith put the ball dead as Kevin Henderson homed in.

Wakefield pressed from the resulting drop-out but the slippery ball went to ground and Smith almost seized a surprise opportunity as he gathered and raced clear, but Brad Drew got back to tackle.

The game became tense but Leeds eventually found a way through as Grix failed to gather a Sinfield kick, Lauitiiti picked up and put Sinfield through under the posts for a self-converted try.

After that Wakefield were no longer a threat as Lauitiiti twice found his way over from close range with Rob Burrow and Sinfield adding the extras.