Leeds (6) 18
Tries:
Jones-Buchanan, Webb, Senior
Goals:
Sinfield 3
St Helens (10) 22
Tries:
Gardner, Roby, Wellens, Gidley
Goals:
Wellens 3
 Gidley crowned an influential display with Saints' fourth try
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St Helens beat Super League leaders Leeds in front of a bumper crowd of over 17,000 at Headingley to reach the fifth round of the Challenge Cup.
Saints scored first through Ade Gardner and although Leeds went ahead through Jamie Jones-Buchanan's converted score it was the only time they led.
James Roby's converted try and a Paul Wellens penalty made it 12-6 to Saints.
Tries from Wellens and Matt Gidley gave them a decisive lead and Brent Webb and Keith Senior's tries were not enough.
With the two sides separated only by points difference in the league the cup encounter was always going to be a fiercely contested affair, but on the day Saints were the sharper side.
Leeds nearly took an early lead but Scott Donald was tackled into touch just feet short of the line and it was the visitors who broke the deadlock in the 13th minute.
Former Australia international Matt Gidley beautifully created space for Gardner on the right flank and the winger dived over for the first try of the match.
Wellens missed the conversion from the touchline and the visitors fell behind when Jones-Buchanan latched onto Kevin Sinfield's precise grubber kick.
He managed to touch down despite the attentions of Gidley and Sinfield's conversion edged the hosts into the lead a quarter of the way through the match.
Saints should have hit back immediately but after freeing Gidley down the right his pass to the unmarked Gardner was forward.
However, they were soon back in front as Roby, who had just come off the interchange bench, made a sharp run from dummy half and Wellens converted to restore the visitors' lead.
They went 12-6 up early in the second half when Wellens added a penalty goal after Leeds were harshly penalised for stripping the ball in the tackle.
Leeds came within a yard of hitting back after a superb Rob Burrow break but Wilkin, playing out of position at stand-off, immediately pinned them back with a 40-20 kick.
From their put-in at the resulting scrum Wellens sliced over out wide and they soon added a third try as Gidley went over.
Wellens could not land either conversion but at 20-6 with just over 20 minutes to play it looked like a decisive lead.
Leeds were in mood to go down without a fight and they hit back when Keith Senior made a fine break down the left and Webb was in support to race over from 30m.
Sinfield converted to cut the gap to eight points but Saints restored the advantage through a Wellens penalty goal.
Leeds gave themselves a glimmer of hope when Senior crossed for a converted try inside the final minute, but a brave last-gasp attack came to nothing and it is Saints who go into the hat for the fifth round.
Leeds: Webb, Donald, Gibson, Senior, Hall, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Sinfield, Kirke, Lauitiiti, Lauitiiti, Burgess, Burgess, Buderus.
Replacements: Peacock for Leuluai (49), Lauitiiti for Diskin (32), Buderus for Peacock (32), Buderus for Jones-Buchanan (72), Kirke for Ablett (35), Burgess for Kirke (61), Burgess for Lauitiiti (16), Ablett for Lauitiiti (65), Leuluai for Burgess (35), Kirke for Burgess (73), Diskin for Buderus (52).
St Helens: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Gilmour, Meli, Wilkin, Pryce, Graham, Cunningham, Hargreaves, Hargreaves, Puletua, Puletua, Flannery, Clough, Fa'asavalu, Ashurst, Cayless.
Replacements: Ashurst for Graham (35), Roby for Cunningham (25), Cayless for Hargreaves (23), Fa'asavalu for Hargreaves (72), Cunningham for Puletua (56), Ashurst for Puletua (75), Clough for Flannery (77), Fa'asavalu for Clough (30), Hargreaves for Fa'asavalu (49), Puletua for Ashurst (65), Graham for Cayless (48).
Att: 17,689
Ref: P Bentham (Warrington).
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