Leeds Utd 1 Yeovil Town 0
Daylight robbery was order of the day at Elland Road today, as United's late steal at Boundary Park was more like petty pilfering, compared to the armed robbery committed over luckless Yeovil, who revelled in their first ever visit to Elland Road. United welcomed back Beckford and Kandol after suspension in place of Andrews and De Vries, and Clapham returned with Thompson again injured.
The Leeds United marketing department, in their wisdom, have been selling "Where's Yeovil ? " t-shirts. As well as being disrespectful, this is just the sort of patronising antic you would expect from Premiership clubs, and those donning those shirts could so easily have gone home with eggs on their faces had the away team finished the chances they created. United supporters have been worried that with such a successful start to the season, there could be the possibility of complacency setting in, with the belief that all we have to do to win is turn up.
United started today's game in such a mood, the visitors were totally not troubled by the big crowd and atmosphere and started the better of the two teams. Yeovil have won three out of four on the road so far this season, and with pacy players all over the pitch, and the ability to break quickly, it's not hard to see why. United's only move of note in a wretched first half performance, saw a well worked corner end up with Carole blazing over. The visitors had the best two chances, as the impressive Anthony Barry was denied superbly by a wonderful save from Ankergren on twenty minutes, and five minutes before half-time he turned Paul Warne's well hit shot round the post. United strikers looked strangely lethargic, and Beckford in particular, spat the dummy out more than once, as he and Kandol seemed to be having a competition with opposing centre-forward Owusu, as to who could win the most free-kicks.
Half-time came as something of a relief, after what was surely United's poorest forty-five minutes of the season so far. It has to be said however, that the players weren't helped by the referee Mr Taylor who blew his whistle at every opportunity, and was determined never to let the game flow. United's midfield has been the weakest link all season, never was this more evident today where creativity amounted to virtually nil, and many of the fifty-fifty balls, so often won this season, were lost. United's most potent creator of the afternoon was right back Fraser Richardson who made several surging runs, that caused the Glovers problems all day, but his runs generally lacked a real telling cross.
United had two early attempts from distance just after the break, as Beckford was denied by the visitors keeper Larrieu, and Clapham's speculative drive went just wide, but Yeovil's defence were having a much more comfortable ride than expected, and their breaks were also causing occasional headaches for United's back four. On seventy minutes, Heath was dispossessed on the edge of the area, and as the ball was crossed across the goal Ankergren was beaten, and coming in at the back post for a tap-in was none other than the prolific Marcus Stewart, scorer of over 250 goals, who inexplicably poked the ball wide, much to the amazement of the onlooking Kopites.
Manager Wise's response, with the midfield being outplayed was to take our two must creative midfield players off, and bring on two more giant centre-forwards in Flo and De Vries. The midfield was effectively dispensed with as Wise went back to his Wimbledon roots to go route one for the final twenty minutes. Whilst not the prettiest way to play football United were more effective. The centre-half pairing for the visitors looked less comfortable, Kandol was denied with a good header, and a succession of corners were dealt with, but not without the odd scare. But as the clock counted down it looked like it just wasn't going to happen, Tuesday's hero Ian Westlake entered the fray and won a free kick down the left hand side then ironically with Kandol off the pitch receiving treatment Douglas's lofted free kick found De Vries at an angle, who headed over everybody, as the ball looped dispairingly for the visitors, into the net.
There was still time for the visitors to mount a couple more attacks in search of an equaliser, and Owusu's late header glided just wide of Ankergren's left hand post, as 27,000 United fanatics breathed a collective sigh of relief. It hadn't been pretty, the visitors had the better chances, but failed to take them. United's "never say die" attitude and their strength at the death in games was again the key as it became nine wins in ten, and into the dizzy heights of the top half of the table.
Woodini Ratings;
Ankergren - two excellent saves, the first a reaction save was as good as a goal 7.5
Richardson - surging runs a threat 7
Clapham - pulled around a bit at times 6
Heath - below par 5.5
Rui Marques - tested at times today, but solid 6.5
Carole - off day 5.5
Prutton - below par 5.5
Hughes - grafted hard 6
Douglas - worked hard as ever, distribution awful as ever 5.5
Beckford - spoilt brat at times 6
Kandol - more like last season's version 5.5
Subs;
De Vries - vital header, the hero 7
Flo - off the pace 6
Westlake - mini cameo again
Referee; Mr. A. Taylor - a complete pain in the arse, must have got a new whistle, down the middle though.
Crowd; 27,800+ Another good crowd, about a thousand travelling fans from Somerset who were probably enjoying their trip to Yorkshire until 4.45pm.
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