Three first half tries from Leeds sealed the win, as Gloucester lacked confidence and any finishing touches, in what was seen as a key game for the West Country side in their bid to keep themselves in the play-off hunt.

Gloucester are now seven points adrift of third place and will need to win their final two games to book a home Wild Card game in their search for a Heineken Cup place next season.

Leeds dominated the opening exchanges and tries from Shelley, Bell and Parks, and a Ross penalty saw them take a 22-3 lead.

James Forrester touched down for a well-worked try on the half time whistle, and his gesture to the crowd, indicated a second half revival, as Gloucester went in 22-10 down, after a McRae penalty.

Leeds had other ideas and two Ross penalties, followed by a Kerr try, sealed a bonus point victory for the Yorkshire side.

A late consolation Nick Wood score saw Gloucester put some points on the board in the second period, but the reaction of the supporters said it all.

Match Summary

0-5 mins:
Leeds took the initiative early on with plenty of possession, but Balshaw missed an overlap out wide for their first chance.

7 mins:
Duncan McRae's chip ahead was chased by Marcel, but Leeds cleared into touch.

13 mins:
Leeds scored the first try of the match through Mike Shelley. The Tykes continued to batter the Gloucester 22, with Dickens maintaining the tempo with Parks, Bell and Ross all making good ground for the Yorkshire side. Tom Palmer did the damage with a barging run 10 metres out, before off-loading to Shelley. Ross converted.

(7-0 to Leeds)

17 mins:
Balshaw missed another opportunity out wide when his pass to Albanese went to touch, but play was pulled back for a penalty to Leeds after McRae was off-side. Ross took the three points.

(10-0 to Leeds)

18 mins:
Snyman knocked on from the re-start inside his own 22. Gloucester just couldn't make any ground. Page's pass put McRae on the back-foot as Mark Foster, starting in place of the injured Fanolua (back), struggled to make any inroads and the Leeds' defence pressured.

23 mins:
Referee Tony Spreadbury then frustrated the crowd after he awarded Leeds another penalty when Hooper had started on Azam, but the French hooker was penalised. Ross put the kick wide.

24 mins:
Leeds added to their tally when Chris Bell broke from half-way after the young inside centre edged passed the tackle and just sprinted clear for the try. Ross' conversion went wide.

(15-0 to Leeds)

28 mins:
James Simpson-Daniel was so close to getting Gloucester's first score, when he picked up the ball inside the Tykes 22 and rounded two tacklers, before being brought down three metres short.

31 mins:
Gloucester stepped up a gear when Jake Boer drove straight up the middle, McRae put Simpson-Daniel into space on half-way. Goodridge was on his shoulder and the full-back made 20 metres, before Kiole took it on, but the Leeds defence put him into touch.

33 mins:
Gloucester started to batter the Leeds whitewash with the forwards hitting every line, but Leeds held out again, before conceding a penalty, that McRae took the three points from.

(15-3 to Leeds)

35 mins:
Jon Goodridge knocked on just in front of his try line from a simple pass, and Leeds took he initiative. A try-saving tackle from Alex Brown saved Gloucester, but after being held up, their forwards drove over and Parks touched down (37 mins). Balshaw converted with Ross in the blood-bin.

(22-3 to Leeds)

40 mins:
Gloucester grabbed their first try of the game on the stroke of half time, when Page and McRae combined just inside the Leeds half to find Forrester out wide in the centres. The number eight strode clear of the Tykes tacklers and ran 40 metres for the try. McRae's superb conversion edged Gloucester back into the reckoning.

(22-10 to Leeds)

Half time: Gloucester 10 Leeds Tykes 22

Gomarsall replaced Page and Wood came on for Azam at half time for Gloucester.

42 mins:
Kiole tried to run the ball out of defence but got caught not releasing and Ross stepped up for the penalty and took the points.

(25-10 to Leeds)

45 mins:
Eustace saw a yellow card, when Spreadbury reversed a penalty he had awarded to Gloucester.

46 mins:
Leeds went to touch and from the line-out Popham broke from the maul and Garvey pulled him down. Mefin Davies touched down over his own line, as Leeds lined up for the scrum with one man up. The Gloucester pack did superbly well and Boer pounced on a loose ball and Gomarsall cleared up field.

50 mins:
Dan Hyde replaced Alix Popham in the Leeds back-row.

51 mins:
Balshaw's attempted drop goal went wide.

53 mins:
Gloucester were penalised for pulling a player back just inside their own half. Ross opted for the posts and took Leeds into an 18-point advantage.

(28-10 to Leeds)

57 mins:
Eustace returned from the sin-bin. Narraway came on for Buxton.

60 mins:
Gloucester strung a series of phases together as Kiole, Powell, Simpson-Daniel, Wood and Goodridge all made efforts to break the Tykes defensive line, but failed.

61 mins:
Biggs replaced Albanese.

62 mins:
Gloucester looked to have got back into the game, when McRae's cross-field kick went to Simpson-Daniel. Garvey took it on and raced 30 metres infield, dodging tackles, but Balshaw made a try-saving tackle, that looked like sealing their win.

67 mins:
The game then opened up as Gloucester had chances to make in-roads with breaks from Forrester (30 metres) and Goodridge, But every time, either the final ball wasn't to scratch or the ball was lost in possession. Territory was lost on each occasion in the Tykes 22 as Leeds countered from each turn-over.

68 mins:
Sigley replaced Powell in the Gloucester front row.

72 mins:
Rawlinson came on for Regan.

73 mins:
Gavin Kerr sealed the bonus point for Leeds with a try.

(33-10 to Leeds)

80 mins:
Merriman replaced Forrester, and Wood's try in the closing minutes was just a consolation.

(33-15 to Leeds)