Post by Taxigirl on Jan 15, 2006 11:29:22 GMT
www.leedsunited.com
Venue
Withdean Stadium
Kick-Off Time
14 January 2006 3:00pm
Attendance
7,415
Pre-match
United boss Kevin Blackwell made just the one change to his starting line-up from the side that drew 1-1 with Wigan in last week's FA Cup game.
Richard Cresswell came in for Rob Hulse upfront, therefore seeing Leeds revert to the same side that beat Plymouth 3-0 on their last away trip.
Blackwell kept two of his big guns, David Healy and Rob Hulse, on the bench in case of emergency.
The Match
Brighton looked to get at Leeds right from kick-off, and it was a policy that was to pay off for them as they took the lead within ten minutes.
Played at a frenetic pace, their tactics nearly backfired when Robbie Blake chipped in a free-kick on three minutes that was perfect for Paul Butler to meet at the back post but the skipper put his header wide of the target.
United then came under pressure themselves from a corner and escaped when the woodwork came to their rescue. Leeds had managed to scramble the ball clear but Seb Carole swung in a cross that Dean Hammond met with a powerful header only to see it come back off the post.
On ten minutes though the homes side took the lead with a goal that left Kevin Blackwell fuming with his defence.
Bad defending again down the left hand side as ball came in low from Carole again and Paul Reid managed to get in behind the back four and, with Sullivan somewhat unsighted, just got a touch on the ball and it trickled into the net.
Leeds respoded quickly but were denied when Robbie Blake's shot was headed off the line by Adam El-Abd after Leeds had passed the ball around menacingly on the edge of the Brighton box.
Still it was Brighton who came closest to scoring again, and Hammond should have scored on 17 minutes when he put the ball wide from ten yards out.
Just before the half hour skipper Paul Butler was caught by a high boot from Hammond that left him flat on the deck, fortunately he was alright to continue after a brief spell of treatment. Hammond picked up a yellow card for his part in the incident.
Blake was denied again when he saw his well placed free-kick turned behind by Brighton keeper Michel Kuipers.
Carole was the next player from the home side to be booked after he took a shot after the whistle had gone.
United got back into the game eight minutes before the break from the penalty spot.
Eddie Lewis was chopped down as he went to collect a ball chipped into the box by Kelly, McShane the offender, and Blake stepped up and hammered the ball in past the keeper's right hand side.
Leeds had barely finished celebrating when Brighton were making their own strong claims for penalty. Crainey went up against Paul Reid and appeared to block him off after he had been beaten by the full-back to the ball, but no penalty was the decision of referee Andy d'Urso, much to the anger of the home fans.
At half time United knew they had more to give and a better performance in the second half should have been enough to secure another three points.
United, unchanged after the break, kept Brighton pinned back deep inside their own half for the first quarter hour of the second half but they were unable to unlock the defence and get their reward.
Richard Cresswell showed his strength on the ball with a run from just inside Brighton's own half that saw him get level with the six-yard box but just couldn't get his cross back towards Liam Miller or Robbie Blake inside the penalty box without it being cut out.
Matthew Kilgallon, who was sent off in the game last season for two bookable offences, picked up a card for a late challenge. History wasn't about to repeat itself for the young defender was it?
Blackwell made his first change soon after, bringing Rob Hulse on for Liam Miller. David Healy came on with just under 12 minutes remaining, replacing David Healy.
United were behind again though on 80 minutes when Gary Hart met a cross from Reid inside the penalty area and lashed it home with Sullivan failing to make contact with the shot.
Brighton were living up to their pre-match billing as Leeds' bogey team. The Whites had less than ten minutes to rescue the game.
Blackwell's final throw of the dice saw Danny Pugh came on for Lewis, and they spent the remaining time looking for an equaliser, throwing caution to the wind in the process.
Leeds pushed forward and Richard Cresswell had the best chance right at the end with a header that just looped over the bar, and ultimately the quest for a second equaliser proved fruitless with United going down to their first defeat in 2006.
The online vote
23% Gary Kelly ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
16% Richard Cresswell
14% David Healy
9% Robbie Blake
8% Matthew Kilgallon
5% Neil Sullivan
4% Rob Hulse
3% Liam Miller
3% Ian Bennett
3% Danny Pugh
2% Simon Walton
2% Eddie Lewis
2% Jonathan Douglas
2% Stephen Crainey
2% Shaun Derry
1% Paul Butler
Venue
Withdean Stadium
Kick-Off Time
14 January 2006 3:00pm
Attendance
7,415
Pre-match
United boss Kevin Blackwell made just the one change to his starting line-up from the side that drew 1-1 with Wigan in last week's FA Cup game.
Richard Cresswell came in for Rob Hulse upfront, therefore seeing Leeds revert to the same side that beat Plymouth 3-0 on their last away trip.
Blackwell kept two of his big guns, David Healy and Rob Hulse, on the bench in case of emergency.
The Match
Brighton looked to get at Leeds right from kick-off, and it was a policy that was to pay off for them as they took the lead within ten minutes.
Played at a frenetic pace, their tactics nearly backfired when Robbie Blake chipped in a free-kick on three minutes that was perfect for Paul Butler to meet at the back post but the skipper put his header wide of the target.
United then came under pressure themselves from a corner and escaped when the woodwork came to their rescue. Leeds had managed to scramble the ball clear but Seb Carole swung in a cross that Dean Hammond met with a powerful header only to see it come back off the post.
On ten minutes though the homes side took the lead with a goal that left Kevin Blackwell fuming with his defence.
Bad defending again down the left hand side as ball came in low from Carole again and Paul Reid managed to get in behind the back four and, with Sullivan somewhat unsighted, just got a touch on the ball and it trickled into the net.
Leeds respoded quickly but were denied when Robbie Blake's shot was headed off the line by Adam El-Abd after Leeds had passed the ball around menacingly on the edge of the Brighton box.
Still it was Brighton who came closest to scoring again, and Hammond should have scored on 17 minutes when he put the ball wide from ten yards out.
Just before the half hour skipper Paul Butler was caught by a high boot from Hammond that left him flat on the deck, fortunately he was alright to continue after a brief spell of treatment. Hammond picked up a yellow card for his part in the incident.
Blake was denied again when he saw his well placed free-kick turned behind by Brighton keeper Michel Kuipers.
Carole was the next player from the home side to be booked after he took a shot after the whistle had gone.
United got back into the game eight minutes before the break from the penalty spot.
Eddie Lewis was chopped down as he went to collect a ball chipped into the box by Kelly, McShane the offender, and Blake stepped up and hammered the ball in past the keeper's right hand side.
Leeds had barely finished celebrating when Brighton were making their own strong claims for penalty. Crainey went up against Paul Reid and appeared to block him off after he had been beaten by the full-back to the ball, but no penalty was the decision of referee Andy d'Urso, much to the anger of the home fans.
At half time United knew they had more to give and a better performance in the second half should have been enough to secure another three points.
United, unchanged after the break, kept Brighton pinned back deep inside their own half for the first quarter hour of the second half but they were unable to unlock the defence and get their reward.
Richard Cresswell showed his strength on the ball with a run from just inside Brighton's own half that saw him get level with the six-yard box but just couldn't get his cross back towards Liam Miller or Robbie Blake inside the penalty box without it being cut out.
Matthew Kilgallon, who was sent off in the game last season for two bookable offences, picked up a card for a late challenge. History wasn't about to repeat itself for the young defender was it?
Blackwell made his first change soon after, bringing Rob Hulse on for Liam Miller. David Healy came on with just under 12 minutes remaining, replacing David Healy.
United were behind again though on 80 minutes when Gary Hart met a cross from Reid inside the penalty area and lashed it home with Sullivan failing to make contact with the shot.
Brighton were living up to their pre-match billing as Leeds' bogey team. The Whites had less than ten minutes to rescue the game.
Blackwell's final throw of the dice saw Danny Pugh came on for Lewis, and they spent the remaining time looking for an equaliser, throwing caution to the wind in the process.
Leeds pushed forward and Richard Cresswell had the best chance right at the end with a header that just looped over the bar, and ultimately the quest for a second equaliser proved fruitless with United going down to their first defeat in 2006.
The online vote
23% Gary Kelly ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
16% Richard Cresswell
14% David Healy
9% Robbie Blake
8% Matthew Kilgallon
5% Neil Sullivan
4% Rob Hulse
3% Liam Miller
3% Ian Bennett
3% Danny Pugh
2% Simon Walton
2% Eddie Lewis
2% Jonathan Douglas
2% Stephen Crainey
2% Shaun Derry
1% Paul Butler