Leeds United 1-0 Town - Half-Time Saturday, 24th Sep 2016 15:59 Former Blues loanee Chris Wood’s 35th minute header has given Leeds United a 1-0 half-time lead over Town at Elland Road. Town started with the same XI which began last week’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, however, Teddy Bishop and Luke Varney both missed out on places on the bench. Bishop broke his nose against Villa, while one-time Whites striker Varney suffered a hamstring problem during Monday’s 4-0 U23s victory over Leeds. Andre Dozzell and Josh Emmanuel replaced them among the subs. Hadi Sacko struck the first shot of the game for the home side in the fourth minute but screwed his effort high, wide and deep into the stand. Neither side had threatened again before Wood cut in from the left past Christophe Berra and smashed a shot which beat Bartosz Bialkowski but crashed off the post. Kalvin Phillips scraped the follow-up well wide. On 12 Brett Pitman, again playing as the lone striker with Tom Lawrence in behind him, required treatment for an ankle problem after a strong but fair challenge from Pontus Jansson. Grant Ward was inches away from putting the Blues in front right on the quarter hour. The former Spurs man hit what’s becoming a trademark shot from the edge of the box which deflected away from the target off Kyle Bartley and appeared to graze the outside of the post on its way wide. From Lawrence’s resultant corner from the left Berra powered a header over with Wood challenging him. Pitman was eventually forced off by his earlier injury in the 25th minute with Leon Best taking over. Two minutes later, Adam Webster played in Ward down the right and the winger sent over a cross which a defender only just managed to divert away from Jonathan Douglas as the former Leeds midfielder looked to volley goalwards. The Blues had shaded the half but without having been able to create any clear-cut chances, however, on 36 the home side went in front. Charlie Taylor was played into space on the Leeds left, crossed and Wood rose above Berra to head home his seventh of the season. Wood, Blues defender Tommy Smith’s room-mate when on international duty with New Zealand, shot over on the turn on 42, then two minutes later Lawrence overhit a Town freekick from just outside the area on the right, which had been won by Best. There was a scare for the Blues in injury time when Lawrence dallied on the ball inside his area following a Leeds corner but Berra reacted quickly to close down Wood and block his shot. Up until Wood’s goal, when the one-time Town loanee outmuscled his former team-mate Berra with whom he had spent most of the half battling, the Blues had been on top but without creating a serious chance other than Ward’s deflected effort and Berra’s header from the subsequent corner. The goal gave the Whites confidence, however, and they were well on top during the spell up to the break. Leeds United: Green, Ayling, Jansson, Bartley (c), Taylor, Phillips, O’Kane, Hernandez, Dallas, Sacko, Wood. Subs: Silvestri, Coyle, Cooper, Grimes, Mowatt, Roofe, Antonsson. Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Webster, Berra, Knudsen, Skuse, Douglas, Ward, Sears, Lawrence, Pitman (Best 25). Subs: Gerken, Emmanuel, Kenlock, Bru, Grant, Dozzell. Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffordshire).
Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
You need to login in order to post your comments |
   Blogs 295 bloggersIpswich Town Polls[ Vote here ] |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
