Post by Taxigirl on Feb 5, 2006 11:21:02 GMT
www.leedsunited.com
Venue
Elland Road
Kick-Off Time
04 February 2006 3:00pm
Attendance
21,807
Referee
Peter Walton
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell made just one change to his starting line-up, and it was one that would have brought a smile to David Healy's face with the Northern Ireland international brought in to replace Rob Hulse.
Healy came off the bench in midweek and scored a penalty to earn Leeds a point against Ipswich at Portman Road and as such was rewarded with a starting place against Rangers. The striker would have been determined to do well, having been sent off in the game at Loftus Road earlier this season.
The visitors were in the midst of a goalkeeping crisis having lost both their senior keepers through injury, and only managed to sign Phil Barnes on loan from Sheffield United a few minutes before the deadline.
The Match
The Elland Road crowd were first brought to their feet in anticpation of a goal eight minutes into the game when Gary Kelly's 40-yard diagonal pass to Eddie Lewis wasn't cut out and the winger had space to run into but tried to take on the defence himself and ended up running into Danny Shittu, QPR's man mountain centre-half.
Otherwise it was a quiet opening to the game with few opportunities at either end, defences definitely on top.
QPR put men back in defence as Leeds then dominated the rest of the half but still found chances at a premium.
Lewis went down in the area under a challenge from Rangers left-back Andy Taylor but referee Peter Walton waved away United's claims for a penalty.
The USA international was nearly in again minute later when he hooked the ball over two opponents but couldn't beat a third - Shittu again.
Despite all their possession there was one nervous moment for Leeds just before the half hour mark when Lee Cook found himself goalside after playing a one-two with Stefan Moore, but his shot was both high and wide of the target.
With six minutes to go to half-time, United's patience was rewarded as Richard Cresswell scored his seventh goal in Leeds colours.
Lewis's took a free-kick from the right hand touchline and delivered the ball deep into the area towards the striker, the keeper came out but didn't get to the ball and it looped off the top of Cresswell's head into an empty net.
It made the half-time break that more satisfying for Leeds, but they had some way to go to repeat last season's 6-1 drubbing of the vistors from London.
Much better was required of Leeds in the second half but like the first, the game took some time to get going. When it eventually did, there was more than enough entertainment to make up for the tepid first half.
Ten minutes into the second half and QPR nearly fashioned an equaliser.
Cook's free-kick avoided every white shirt in the box but was met by the head of Rangers centre-half Keith Lowe and only a lightening quick reaction by Sullivan denied him.
Sullivan made the take look easy but it was clear by his reaction that United had come within a whisker of squandering their lead.
The next five minutes saw Leeds return to near their best though and the chances came thick and fast.
Kelly nearly grazed the crossbar with a shot but the best saw Miller mis-kick his first effort on the edge of the area but the ball fell for him again and this time he struck the ball with some force only for the keeper to produce a great reaction save and block the shot.
Then Lewis provided the perfect cross for Cresswell just ten yards out and the striker rose well to meet it but could only divert his header past the left hand post.
Lewis was definitely after a goal for himself and another attempt by the winger saw Barnes just get enough of a hand to his low drive to turn it away from goal where it was hastily cleared to safety.
Cresswell came close to a second just after the hour with a low drive in a crowded penalty area but QPR just managed to get a body in the way.
By his standards David Healy had a quiet game and his afternoon came to an end on 71 minutes when he was replaced by Robbie Blake.
With quarter of an hour to go in the same game last season Leeds had already scored six goals, and now only one goal to the good, the visitors realised they had a chance of getting something out of the game and had their best spell.
The substitute Sammy Youssouf looked a threat down the right flank but Crainey and Gregan made sure he got no further than the edge of the 18-yard-box.
Rob Hulse came on for Richard Cresswell with just 12 minutes remaining and within seconds he was threatening the Rangers goal. His best early effort saw him latch onto a pass and hit the apex of the post and crossbar from 30-yards.
Leeds finally made the game safe with six minutes remaining when skipper Paul Butler scored for a second successive home game.
Another Eddie Lewis cross did most of the damage but Butler came steaming out of nowhere to thump the ball home with an unstoppable header for his third goal of the season.
That goal wrapped up the points for Leeds although the visitors did look more lively at the end with a few shots going narrowly over, but Leeds were worthy winners and perhaps should have added a few more goals to put a bit of gloss on the result.
MAN OF THE MATCH
The online vote
56% Gary Kelly
13% Richard Cresswell
10% Eddie Lewis
6% Simon Walton
4% David Healy
3% Paul Butler
2% Neil Sullivan
1% Stephen Crainey
1% Liam Miller
1% Sean Gregan
1% Shaun Derry
1% Robbie Blake
1% Rob Hulse
0% Danny Pugh
0% Jonathan Douglas
0% Ian Bennett
Venue
Elland Road
Kick-Off Time
04 February 2006 3:00pm
Attendance
21,807
Referee
Peter Walton
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell made just one change to his starting line-up, and it was one that would have brought a smile to David Healy's face with the Northern Ireland international brought in to replace Rob Hulse.
Healy came off the bench in midweek and scored a penalty to earn Leeds a point against Ipswich at Portman Road and as such was rewarded with a starting place against Rangers. The striker would have been determined to do well, having been sent off in the game at Loftus Road earlier this season.
The visitors were in the midst of a goalkeeping crisis having lost both their senior keepers through injury, and only managed to sign Phil Barnes on loan from Sheffield United a few minutes before the deadline.
The Match
The Elland Road crowd were first brought to their feet in anticpation of a goal eight minutes into the game when Gary Kelly's 40-yard diagonal pass to Eddie Lewis wasn't cut out and the winger had space to run into but tried to take on the defence himself and ended up running into Danny Shittu, QPR's man mountain centre-half.
Otherwise it was a quiet opening to the game with few opportunities at either end, defences definitely on top.
QPR put men back in defence as Leeds then dominated the rest of the half but still found chances at a premium.
Lewis went down in the area under a challenge from Rangers left-back Andy Taylor but referee Peter Walton waved away United's claims for a penalty.
The USA international was nearly in again minute later when he hooked the ball over two opponents but couldn't beat a third - Shittu again.
Despite all their possession there was one nervous moment for Leeds just before the half hour mark when Lee Cook found himself goalside after playing a one-two with Stefan Moore, but his shot was both high and wide of the target.
With six minutes to go to half-time, United's patience was rewarded as Richard Cresswell scored his seventh goal in Leeds colours.
Lewis's took a free-kick from the right hand touchline and delivered the ball deep into the area towards the striker, the keeper came out but didn't get to the ball and it looped off the top of Cresswell's head into an empty net.
It made the half-time break that more satisfying for Leeds, but they had some way to go to repeat last season's 6-1 drubbing of the vistors from London.
Much better was required of Leeds in the second half but like the first, the game took some time to get going. When it eventually did, there was more than enough entertainment to make up for the tepid first half.
Ten minutes into the second half and QPR nearly fashioned an equaliser.
Cook's free-kick avoided every white shirt in the box but was met by the head of Rangers centre-half Keith Lowe and only a lightening quick reaction by Sullivan denied him.
Sullivan made the take look easy but it was clear by his reaction that United had come within a whisker of squandering their lead.
The next five minutes saw Leeds return to near their best though and the chances came thick and fast.
Kelly nearly grazed the crossbar with a shot but the best saw Miller mis-kick his first effort on the edge of the area but the ball fell for him again and this time he struck the ball with some force only for the keeper to produce a great reaction save and block the shot.
Then Lewis provided the perfect cross for Cresswell just ten yards out and the striker rose well to meet it but could only divert his header past the left hand post.
Lewis was definitely after a goal for himself and another attempt by the winger saw Barnes just get enough of a hand to his low drive to turn it away from goal where it was hastily cleared to safety.
Cresswell came close to a second just after the hour with a low drive in a crowded penalty area but QPR just managed to get a body in the way.
By his standards David Healy had a quiet game and his afternoon came to an end on 71 minutes when he was replaced by Robbie Blake.
With quarter of an hour to go in the same game last season Leeds had already scored six goals, and now only one goal to the good, the visitors realised they had a chance of getting something out of the game and had their best spell.
The substitute Sammy Youssouf looked a threat down the right flank but Crainey and Gregan made sure he got no further than the edge of the 18-yard-box.
Rob Hulse came on for Richard Cresswell with just 12 minutes remaining and within seconds he was threatening the Rangers goal. His best early effort saw him latch onto a pass and hit the apex of the post and crossbar from 30-yards.
Leeds finally made the game safe with six minutes remaining when skipper Paul Butler scored for a second successive home game.
Another Eddie Lewis cross did most of the damage but Butler came steaming out of nowhere to thump the ball home with an unstoppable header for his third goal of the season.
That goal wrapped up the points for Leeds although the visitors did look more lively at the end with a few shots going narrowly over, but Leeds were worthy winners and perhaps should have added a few more goals to put a bit of gloss on the result.
MAN OF THE MATCH
The online vote
56% Gary Kelly
13% Richard Cresswell
10% Eddie Lewis
6% Simon Walton
4% David Healy
3% Paul Butler
2% Neil Sullivan
1% Stephen Crainey
1% Liam Miller
1% Sean Gregan
1% Shaun Derry
1% Robbie Blake
1% Rob Hulse
0% Danny Pugh
0% Jonathan Douglas
0% Ian Bennett