Leeds withstood a brilliant second-half fightback from Saracens to pick up their second Zurich Premiership win of the season at Headingley on Sunday.

Saracens trailed by 20 points at the break but battled back to level the scores up at 31-31 midway through the second half.

But just as the Tykes looked set to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory they found a second wind and late tries from Dan Scarbrough, his second of the match, and Duncan Hodge saw them claim a memorable triumph.

Despite winning only one of their first four matches, Leeds boss Phil Davies had claimed in his programme notes that his side were making progress.

Even he must have been taken aback at just how well his side started today though, as the rampant Tykes ran in four tries in the first 40 minutes against a shell-shocked Saracens, establishing a 28-8 lead at the break.

Hooker Rob Rawlinson gave Leeds a flying start when he touched down after four minutes and man-of-the-match Scarbrough conjured up a brilliant score to grab Leeds' second try soon after.

The right-winger left his marker for dead with a superb dummy, chipped over the last man before collecting the ball and diving over.

Andy Goode finally got Saracens on the board in the 13th minute with a penalty to make it 12-3 and the same player added a try soon after.

The Saracens fly-half, who had looked his side's most dangerous player in the opening period, outpaced Tykes scrum-half Ryan Walker in a 40-yard dash to the line to touch down.

The white-booted Goode was not as clinical with his kick, however, and his missed conversion kept the score at 12-8 to Leeds.

That was as good as it got for Saracens in the opening period as Leeds, who have let good starts slip on a number of occasions this season, stepped up a gear.

Phil Christophers found acres of space in the Saracens defence to race untouched from almost the halfway line to score in the corner and then captain Dan Hyde added Leeds fourth try just before the break.

Saracens came out a different side after the break and pinpoint goalkicking from Goode and an individual try by centre Ben Johnston saw the Tykes' lead whittled down to just seven points, at 31-24, by the hour mark.

Things then went from bad to worse for the Tykes as Frenchman Thomas Castaignede scored a converted try to tie the scores up at 31-31.

It looked for all the world at that point as though Saracens would go on to claim their third win of the campaign but a rare Leeds attack resulted with Scarbrough diving over a crucial score.

Tim Walsh missed the conversion but it mattered little as Hodge charged down a late clearance to wrap the points up for the jubilant Tykes.

Teams:

Leeds: Walsh, Scarbrough, Christophers, Botham, Rees, Hodge, Walker, Powell, Rawlinson, Halford, Morgan, Hooper, Salter, Ponton, Hyde.

Replacements: Holt for Halford (60), Murphy for Morgan (40).

Not Used: Cusack, Hogg, Dickens, Cardey, Buchanan.

Tries: Rawlinson, Scarbrough 2, Christophers, Hyde, Hodge.

Cons: Hodge.

Pens: Hodge, Walsh 2.

Saracens: Castaignede, Haughton, Johnson, Bartholomeusz, McAvoy, Goode, Phibbs, Sparks, Parkes, Bergamaschi, Raiwalui, Codling, Roques, Chesney, Randell.

Replacements: Kirton for Phibbs (47), Kershaw for Sparks (40), Ross for Parkes (40), Skirving for Codling (60).

Not Used: Marsters, Peacey, Winnan.

Tries: Goode, Johnson, Castaignede.

Cons: Goode 2.

Pens: Goode 4.

Att: 2,888

Ref: Robin Goodliffe (Sheffield).