Super League: Castleford Tigers beat Leeds Rhinos in thriller after producing epic comeback

Struggling Castleford twice hit back from the brink to stun Betfred Super League leaders Leeds and seal a stunning 36-34 win at a sun-drenched OneBore Stadium.

Jason Qareqare's late surge down the left was ultimately just enough to confirm a famous win for the hosts who had trailed 16-0 with less than a quarter of an hour on the clock and also fell 30-16 behind early in the second half.

Tries from Daejarn Asi and Jack Ashworth spurred a second unlikely comeback before Qareqare blazed over in the corner for his second try of the game, and one that pushed the Tigers in front for the first time.

Leeds were still not done, Brodie Croft's late effort giving Jake Connor a kick to tie the scores, but the star half-back's boots betrayed him, his effort drifting wide and allowing the hosts to cling on and claim the points at the final hooter.

Connor's two successful kicks from seven conversion attempts proved the difference for the shell-shocked Rhinos, with his opposite number Tom Weaver dispatching a perfect five from five, plus one penalty, to severely dent the visitors' title ambitions.

Castleford had looked down and out during a torrid first period that was overshadowed by a serious-looking injury to Rhinos hooker Danny Levi.

Levi was treated for a quarter of an hour by medics after being knocked out in a collision before being stretchered from the pitch. Rhinos officials said that Levi, who was awake and speaking, would be taken to nearby Pinderfields Hospital for tests.

Tries from James McDonnell, Alfie Edgell - making his first appearance of the season - and Croft looked to have Leeds home and dry in a blistering opening quarter of an hour in which they surged into a comfortable advantage.

Boos began ringing around the OneBore Stadium but Castleford slowly roused themselves, Mikaele Ravalawa creeping over in the corner to give them hope, before a touchline charge from Maika Sivo on the next set appeared to put any faint hopes of a home revival to bed.

In fact the Tigers continued to grow in confidence, and following the lengthy delay for treatment to Levi, Ashton Golding squeezed over for their second, then Qareqare outpaced Croft to reach the corner, two kicks from Weaver nudging them improbably to within four points at the break.

Tom Holroyd's converted effort and a second from McDonnell appeared to swiftly sap home resolve at the start of the second period as Leeds cruised back into a dominant lead at 30-16.

But once again Cas were unbowed, with both Asi and Ashworth puncturing the Leeds defence with unlikely ease for converted tries that dragged the hosts to within two points at 30-28.

The stage was set for the dramatic finale, in which a Weaver penalty tied the score before Qareqare surged down the left to send the home crowd into raptures. After Croft's late response, the Tigers battled out the final few minutes before celebrating wildly at the hooter.