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Leeds 2-0 Town
Saturday, 15th Dec 2012 17:06

Town’s run of victories was halted at three as goals from Jerome Thomas and Paul Green saw Leeds to a 2-0 win at Elland Road. The home side had the better of the first half with Thomas’s backheel giving them the lead at the break. The Blues dominated possession for much of the second period but were unable to get on terms before Green added the second.

As expected, boss Mick McCarthy named an unchanged side with Nigel Reo-Coker, back after a hamstring injury, on the bench.

New signing Tyrone Mings was in the 21-man travelling party but didn’t make the final 18. The Leeds line-up included former Town skipper David Norris.

After a scrappy start, the first chance of the game fell to the home side in the eighth minute. Paul Green headed the ball on to El-Hadji Diouf on the edge of the area but Stephen Henderson came off his line quickly to block the Senegalese international’s attempt on goal with what appeared to be his head.

Aaron Cresswell blazed the Blues’ first strike of the game well over with his right foot from 20 yards on 11, however, the half-chance had come from a decent move down the left involving Cresswell, DJ Campbell and Lee Martin with Carlos Edwards just unable to get in a shot from a more promising position inside the area.

Just after the quarter hour, Town were unable to clear a high ball into the box and, after a spot of head tennis, Diouf headed weakly to Henderson.

Two minutes later, Diouf cleverly chipped the ball into the area from the right, Bradley Orr hammering behind for a corner from the edge of the six-yard box.

From the flagkick the Whites went in front. Diouf sent the ball in from the right, Tom Lees headed goalwards and Jerome Thomas diverted it past Henderson and into the net for the first goal of his loan spell from West Brom.

It might have been 2-0 in the 23rd minute when Michael Tonge’s cross was deflected into the air and David Norris headed towards goal, but fortunately for Town Cresswell was on hand to clear off the line.

The home side were causing the Blues more problems at the back than most sides in recent weeks, Diouf the main danger, while at the other end Town had had one or two promising breaks but so far without creating any significant opportunities.


On 31 Martin saw a strike blocked, then a minute later the former Manchester United man hit another shot from distance which deflected wide.

Town were becoming more of a threat, an Edwards cross from the right causing Lees to head only just over his bar for the latest in a succession of Blues corners. However, having hit the defender with his first, Martin’s next two in from the left were too deep.

The winger had the ball in the net in the 39th minute but with Campbell having strayed offside before he had cut it back from the right.

Town were very fortunate not to be two behind two minutes later when Sam Byram crossed from the right and an entirely unmarked Luciano Becchio somehow headed over when he had the time to pick his spot 10 yards out.

But the Blues had had the better of it during the latter stages of the period and in the 44th minute Edwards flashed a shot across the face of goal which Kenny did well to divert behind.

Town were probably fortunate only to be a goal down at the break, Becchio having missed a golden opportunity to increase his side’s lead, while Cresswell’s clearance off the line was another escape.

Nevertheless, with the home side having had the better of it early on, the Blues had come into it more as the half wore on - although having failed create many chances or make enough of their set pieces - and might have found themselves on terms as they made their way down the tunnel.

Blues keeper Henderson was forced into action early on in the second half, the Irishman superbly getting across to his left to push away Becchio’s header from Diouf’s cross from the right. The former Liverpool man’s wayward rebound troubled only those towards the back of the stand behind the goal.

Town though gradually began to get on top, Murphy seeing a strike blocked, then Orr shooting wide having got forward from right-back.

By the hour mark the Blues were dominating the game, keeping the ball for long spells but without creating the opportunity which would put them back on terms. On 62 McCarthy swapped DJ Campbell for Michael Chopra.

Town continued to have most of the ball without threatening to score, but in the 68th minute Leeds increased their lead. Ex-Blue Norris played a pass to Thomas to his left, the winger cutting the ball across the area to Green, who slammed it past Henderson as he broke into the area.

It was a classic sucker punch with the Blues having been on top for virtually the whole of the half but having been unable to seriously threaten in front of goal. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas took over from Murphy in the 73rd minute.

The substitute sent Martin away on goal in the 78th minute with a superb pass but Byram got back and the winger went to ground on the edge of the box, referee Oliver Langford indicating no foul and the Town players making surprisingly little protest.

On 80 Martin forced Kenny to block a strike from the right, then from the corner Emmanuel-Thomas headed straight to the Whites keeper.

Town should have pulled a goal back in the 83rd minute when Martin cut in from the right. The ball ran away from him inside the area but fell to Chopra, who seemed destined to score, but hit his shot straight at Kenny.

Elliott Hewitt replaced Orr at right-back as the game moved into its final four minutes, then with normal time running down Henderson was out quickly to claim at the feet of Becchio from McCormack’s flick.

There was to be no dramatic Blues comeback in the closing stages and overall Leeds deserved their win.

Despite controlling much of the second half, the Blues had created few chances before Green had netted the home side’s second goal on the break.

Town had chances after that but Martin and Chopra spurned opportunities to reduce the lead and set up a tense end to the game. Leeds supporters will feel their team ought to have won more comfortably with Becchio in particular profligate in front of goal.

The result sees the Blues stay fifth from bottom, five points from the relegation zone — with Sheffield Wednesday beating Barnsley 1-0 in the evening game — and with what appears to be a winnable home game against Bristol City next week.

Leeds: Kenny, Byram, Peltier, Lees, Tate, Green, Tonge, Norris, Thomas(Brown 85), Becchio (Varney 90), Diouf (McCormack 82). Unused: Ashdown, Pearce, White, Hall.

Town: Henderson, Orr (Hewitt 85), Chambers, Smith, Cresswell, Edwards, N'Daw, Drury, Martin, Murphy (Emmanuel-Thomas 73), Campbell (Chopra 62). Unused: Loach, Hewitt, Higginbotham, Reo-Coker, Mohsni. Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands). Att: 19,185.


Photo: Action Images



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taylor15 added 17:15 - Dec 15
unlucky boys! incredibly hard place to come, but performance just sounded like it wasn't our day. unlucky lads! let's bring back the 3 points next saturday! COYB!
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TractorBoy666 added 17:16 - Dec 15
Wasn't expecting much of this game beforehand. We were never going to go and win every game anyway, but 3 points next Saturday is a must for me. Let's put this defeat behind us.
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itfcjc added 17:27 - Dec 15
I'm sure we'll win on Saturday against Bristol so I'm not too concerned
And that budgie ITFC1958 is nowhere to be seen
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Michael11 added 17:29 - Dec 15
Never mind. It's not your Leeds aways that will determine where you finish, we need to make sure we take care of teams like Bristol City next week. COYB!
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kuyski added 17:33 - Dec 15
not very disappointed with the result but next week play to bristol city must need a win thats is very important ! come on lads!forget this one just put the concentrate in next battle.
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LankHenners added 17:44 - Dec 15
Well, you win some, you lose some. Tricky place to go to and come away with 3 points and 2-0 isn't that bad a result. Very winnable game next week and still only 6 points off mid-table. Come On You Blues!
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tractor57 added 17:49 - Dec 15
Lets face it.. We're doing ok for a bunch of
Loaners.. Roll on jan
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TimmyH added 17:55 - Dec 15
Thought we'd get a draw today and as especially as they have a big game against Chelsea coming up in mid-week, a tad disappointed but more important I feel to beat Bristol City next Saturday and get some real daylight between us and the bottom few.
By the way where the hell did that win come from today for Peterboro against Cardiff, Cardiff unbelievable at home but have to say pretty ordinary away.
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dommyboyblue added 18:12 - Dec 15
Just lacking that little bit of quality in the final third by the sounds, a lot of possession in that second half and it sounded like we got in good positions, just final ball. Sure MM has some targets in mind to get this sorted though. Anyone at the game let us know if that was the case as obviously only heard it on the radio but thats what it sounded like?
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jamesmostevens added 18:17 - Dec 15
1) Strikes me we would have lost this game by 6 a month or so ago.
2) I welcome back a goal difference in the -20s with a little bit of affection as we can still go for a best finish with worst goal difference record this season.
3) Hard to really enjoy being taken apart by such an unpleasant person as Diouf and then there's Norris.
4) Well done Peterborough!
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VINNIEBLUE added 18:49 - Dec 15
The states were always against us (our record at Leeds and to win 4 on the spin). We had plenty of possession and were never out played. Lets move on and we still have a 5 point cushion, so as you were.
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greentractorboy added 21:21 - Dec 15
yet again the waste off space chopra wearing a ipswich town shirt get him out of this club asap please mick
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suffolkpunch1978 added 01:29 - Dec 16
Lost 1 game in 4, mick mc carthys blue white army
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ericclacton added 10:28 - Dec 16
I think the big worry Is there are no goals coming from the rest of the team
Chopra missed an easy chance yesterday, and Murphy decided to fall asleep again.
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h32 added 11:44 - Dec 16
.... let's be truthful needed and expected a point today - problem we have is the teams below and around us, are all capable of winning matches i.e Peterborough today, that we wouldn't expect.

Diabolical defending for both goals in my opinion - possibly typical of a performance from a 'loanee team' having just an off day.

Leeds aren't exactly world beaters.
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h32 added 11:58 - Dec 16
HennersITFC - your quote that '2-0 isn't that bad a result' is probably true considering the goals against we've shipped this season - however, we've got to look for, and expect better than that.

A team that beats Millwall 3-0 one week, should be capable of a point at Leeds, or at least a clean sheet soon after.
Nothing is achieved by making excuses, or setting targets low.

MM will sort it though when the time comes to progressively form his own team - don't look for major changes in January though - it won't happen! - we may even be worse of in terms of options / available players than we are now.

That's why we need more points on the board before then.
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runningout added 15:55 - Dec 16
put it down to a dodgy show at Leeds.. more clinical heads required week in week out : /
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LankHenners added 15:57 - Dec 16
h32 - that was what I meant, sorry, should have made it clearer. Obviously a 2-0 loss is not a good expectation but considering what has happened before, this is not a bad result in comparison. I agree with you though, we should have at the very very least made it 2-1 to show that we can break down a defence at least once. Was just trying to stay optimistic, yet realistic.

Peterborough beating Cardiff was just another example of the Championship's wild unpredictability - and we only lost 2-1 to them (albeit from poor defending). Besides, looking purely at the table alone, we shouldn't have beaten Forest 3-1. But we did. Just shows how any team can overcome the big challenges when they play really well.
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runningout added 16:02 - Dec 16
n dont take anything for granted in the league we are in.. the Bristol City game will be our most difficult...
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GibbsITFC added 17:37 - Dec 16
You know MM is doing a good job when you're a little disappointed at losing at Elland Road. At the start of the season i would of expected a hammering but we gave a good account of ourselves! Also well done to the itfc fans for not moaning at the loss! Mostly positive comments! Finally we are all starting to look like the close knit team we used to be, everyone pulling in the right direction. The only way is up! COYB.
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jamesmostevens added 15:28 - Dec 17
-2???
1) Tell me that's not true.
2) Beats lingering around 15th uselessly from March onwards.
3) He spits at crowds.
4) Bottom winning away at top can only be a good thing for other teams like us looking to rise up the table.
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blockb_steward added 07:35 - Dec 18
Wasnt expecting too much tbh...feared the worst wben i saw el hadj douf was in their starting 11.

At least we didnt capitulate which would of probably happened a couple of months back.

Onwards and upwards, lets slrt Bristol City out on Saturday :)
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blockb_steward added 07:36 - Dec 18
Sorry about spellings...obviously thats SORT Bristol City
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