Post by Taxigirl on Apr 2, 2006 6:12:59 GMT
www.leedsunited.com
Venue
The Kingston Communications Stadium
Kick-Off Time
01 April 2006 12:00pm
Attendance
23,486
Referee
Eddie Ilderton
Jonathan Parkin, 76
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell made one change to the side that drew 0-0 with Stoke City the previous week.
David Healy dropped out of the starting XI at the expense of Robbie Blake, who made his return after three games on the bench. Also on the bench was the welcome sight of Frazer Richardson, marking his comeback from a knee ligament injury that has kept him on the treatment table since early January.
New loan signing Danny Graham was the second striker on the bench and there was also space for Matthew Kilgallon again.
Hull made four changes to the side that drew in their previous game with Ipswich, bringing in Alan Rogers, Craig Fagan, Anton Thelwell and John Welsh, whilst Scott Wiseman, Andrew Dawson, Billy Paynter and Rui Marques, who could not play as part of the deal that saw him make a loan move from Elland Road to the KC Stadium, missed out.
The Match
Leeds made a positive start in this noon kick-off, putting the home side under pressure and with three minutes on the clock had their first shot on goal.
Sean Gregan punted the ball forward where the bounce favored Rob Hulse against Tigers defender Damien Delaney and, right on the edge of the area, the Hull man brought down the United striker.
Eddie Lewis took the free-kick and hit it low and hard towards goal only for the keeper Myhill to produce a great save down to his right, knocking the ball away for a corner.
Jon Parkin found the back of the Leeds net with a fine strike after six minutes from the left of the penalty area but the flag was already raised for offside against the big striker.
The home side grew more confident after that chance and were soon testing Neil Sullivan again when Kevin Ellison's shot took a nasty deflection towards goal off skipper Paul Butler. Fortunately Sullivan was able to take the ball firmly in his grasp.
Leeds missed a great chance to take the lead on 24 minutes when Robbie Blake spurned an opportunity in front of goal.
Eddie Lewis and Liam Miller worked well down the left flank and eventually Miller was able to swing the ball in low across the face of goal and Blake met it barely six yards out but couldn't keep his shot down and the ball flew high over the bar.
Just before the half hour mark Stephen Crainey delivered a great cross into the penalty area that Rob Hulse was just inches away from making a firm connection to with his diving header for what would surely have been the opening goal.
Hull came closer though when Stuart Green stung Sullivan's fingers with a fierce volley from the right of the area, Sullivan coming to United's rescue with another fine save.
Right at the end of the half Parkin must have though he had made the breakthrough when he met a right wing cross right on the edge of the six yard box with a thigh but the United keeper was again well positioned to make the block.
The start of the second half was greeted by a hailstorm that hammered down on the players and left the KC Stadium surface completely drenched. It was going to make for a difficult surface to play on.
Shaun Derry had United's first chance of the half, collecting the ball deep in midfield he simply kept on running until he got to the edge of the area and hit a low drive that beat the keeper but didn't find the target.
Leeds pressed and saw plenty of the ball but when they found themselves in the last third the final ball was missing and they lost momentum.
Jonathan Douglas was next to go close, meeting a corner by Lewis but just not being able to keep his shot down after he turned inside the box.
At the other end a hashed clearance by Butler saw the ball land at Parkin's feet ten yards out but Kelly reacted quickly to clear the ball away from the striker. From the corner Leon Cort saw his firm downwards header blocked on the line by Sullivan.
The former Scotland international was certainly earning his money this week, all it needed was for the rest of the team to do likewise.
If Blake had been guilty of passing up a great chance for Leeds in the first half then he was to be joined in the dock by Miller for an equally criminal miss on 70 minutes.
Hulse had held the ball up well inside the box before finding Blake, and the striker squared the ball for Miller in space on the penalty spot but the Irishman could only sink to the ground in disbelief as he sent his shot wide of the left hand post.
Miller did better with a shot from 20-yards straight afterwards but again the keeper was there to save.
Then, with just under a quarter of an hour left to play, Leeds were hit by the sucker-punch.
Green's cross from the right wing went long over the heads of the United back four to Parkin at the back post and the burly striker, who had caused Leeds problems all game, met it with a firm downwards header that this time Sullivan could not keep out.
The goal was celebrated by the Hull fans as if they had just won the Cup, although for the hosts the significance was that three points would just about guide them to safety in the division.
Kevin Blackwell had been ready to make changes before Hull scored and he pressed ahead with them, bringing Danny Graham on for his debut and David Healy too as he increased his attacking options. Liam Miller and Eddie Lewis were the men who made way. Soon afterwards Blake had his last touch of the ball as Frazer Richardson came on.
Leeds continued to find the going hard and Hull nearly made it 2-0. Keith Andrews' free-kick was only just turned away by Sullivan and the home crowd were full of voice.
The Whites had a late chance to draw level when Hulse was brought by Andrews five yards short of the penalty area. David Healy stepped up to take it and hit a low shot through the Tigers' wall but also wide.
Deep into injury time, and after the Hull keeper had been booked for time wasting, Leeds were throwing everything they could at the home side and when Hulse collected the ball inside the box and turned and shot, Hull hearts were in their mouths, but he missed the target by about a foot.
That was to prove to be the last chance and with it the defeat signalled what was perhaps the last realistic chance Leeds had of continuing to push for that second automatic promotion place.
MAN OF THE MATCH
The online vote
48% Gary Kelly
24% Sean Gregan
8% Neil Sullivan
5% Ian Bennett
4% Danny Graham
3% Eddie Lewis
1% Matthew Kilgallon
1% Shaun Derry
1% Liam Miller
1% Frazer Richardson
1% Rob Hulse
1% Robbie Blake
1% David Healy
0% Jonathan Douglas
0% Stephen Crainey
0% Paul Butler
Venue
The Kingston Communications Stadium
Kick-Off Time
01 April 2006 12:00pm
Attendance
23,486
Referee
Eddie Ilderton
Jonathan Parkin, 76
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell made one change to the side that drew 0-0 with Stoke City the previous week.
David Healy dropped out of the starting XI at the expense of Robbie Blake, who made his return after three games on the bench. Also on the bench was the welcome sight of Frazer Richardson, marking his comeback from a knee ligament injury that has kept him on the treatment table since early January.
New loan signing Danny Graham was the second striker on the bench and there was also space for Matthew Kilgallon again.
Hull made four changes to the side that drew in their previous game with Ipswich, bringing in Alan Rogers, Craig Fagan, Anton Thelwell and John Welsh, whilst Scott Wiseman, Andrew Dawson, Billy Paynter and Rui Marques, who could not play as part of the deal that saw him make a loan move from Elland Road to the KC Stadium, missed out.
The Match
Leeds made a positive start in this noon kick-off, putting the home side under pressure and with three minutes on the clock had their first shot on goal.
Sean Gregan punted the ball forward where the bounce favored Rob Hulse against Tigers defender Damien Delaney and, right on the edge of the area, the Hull man brought down the United striker.
Eddie Lewis took the free-kick and hit it low and hard towards goal only for the keeper Myhill to produce a great save down to his right, knocking the ball away for a corner.
Jon Parkin found the back of the Leeds net with a fine strike after six minutes from the left of the penalty area but the flag was already raised for offside against the big striker.
The home side grew more confident after that chance and were soon testing Neil Sullivan again when Kevin Ellison's shot took a nasty deflection towards goal off skipper Paul Butler. Fortunately Sullivan was able to take the ball firmly in his grasp.
Leeds missed a great chance to take the lead on 24 minutes when Robbie Blake spurned an opportunity in front of goal.
Eddie Lewis and Liam Miller worked well down the left flank and eventually Miller was able to swing the ball in low across the face of goal and Blake met it barely six yards out but couldn't keep his shot down and the ball flew high over the bar.
Just before the half hour mark Stephen Crainey delivered a great cross into the penalty area that Rob Hulse was just inches away from making a firm connection to with his diving header for what would surely have been the opening goal.
Hull came closer though when Stuart Green stung Sullivan's fingers with a fierce volley from the right of the area, Sullivan coming to United's rescue with another fine save.
Right at the end of the half Parkin must have though he had made the breakthrough when he met a right wing cross right on the edge of the six yard box with a thigh but the United keeper was again well positioned to make the block.
The start of the second half was greeted by a hailstorm that hammered down on the players and left the KC Stadium surface completely drenched. It was going to make for a difficult surface to play on.
Shaun Derry had United's first chance of the half, collecting the ball deep in midfield he simply kept on running until he got to the edge of the area and hit a low drive that beat the keeper but didn't find the target.
Leeds pressed and saw plenty of the ball but when they found themselves in the last third the final ball was missing and they lost momentum.
Jonathan Douglas was next to go close, meeting a corner by Lewis but just not being able to keep his shot down after he turned inside the box.
At the other end a hashed clearance by Butler saw the ball land at Parkin's feet ten yards out but Kelly reacted quickly to clear the ball away from the striker. From the corner Leon Cort saw his firm downwards header blocked on the line by Sullivan.
The former Scotland international was certainly earning his money this week, all it needed was for the rest of the team to do likewise.
If Blake had been guilty of passing up a great chance for Leeds in the first half then he was to be joined in the dock by Miller for an equally criminal miss on 70 minutes.
Hulse had held the ball up well inside the box before finding Blake, and the striker squared the ball for Miller in space on the penalty spot but the Irishman could only sink to the ground in disbelief as he sent his shot wide of the left hand post.
Miller did better with a shot from 20-yards straight afterwards but again the keeper was there to save.
Then, with just under a quarter of an hour left to play, Leeds were hit by the sucker-punch.
Green's cross from the right wing went long over the heads of the United back four to Parkin at the back post and the burly striker, who had caused Leeds problems all game, met it with a firm downwards header that this time Sullivan could not keep out.
The goal was celebrated by the Hull fans as if they had just won the Cup, although for the hosts the significance was that three points would just about guide them to safety in the division.
Kevin Blackwell had been ready to make changes before Hull scored and he pressed ahead with them, bringing Danny Graham on for his debut and David Healy too as he increased his attacking options. Liam Miller and Eddie Lewis were the men who made way. Soon afterwards Blake had his last touch of the ball as Frazer Richardson came on.
Leeds continued to find the going hard and Hull nearly made it 2-0. Keith Andrews' free-kick was only just turned away by Sullivan and the home crowd were full of voice.
The Whites had a late chance to draw level when Hulse was brought by Andrews five yards short of the penalty area. David Healy stepped up to take it and hit a low shot through the Tigers' wall but also wide.
Deep into injury time, and after the Hull keeper had been booked for time wasting, Leeds were throwing everything they could at the home side and when Hulse collected the ball inside the box and turned and shot, Hull hearts were in their mouths, but he missed the target by about a foot.
That was to prove to be the last chance and with it the defeat signalled what was perhaps the last realistic chance Leeds had of continuing to push for that second automatic promotion place.
MAN OF THE MATCH
The online vote
48% Gary Kelly
24% Sean Gregan
8% Neil Sullivan
5% Ian Bennett
4% Danny Graham
3% Eddie Lewis
1% Matthew Kilgallon
1% Shaun Derry
1% Liam Miller
1% Frazer Richardson
1% Rob Hulse
1% Robbie Blake
1% David Healy
0% Jonathan Douglas
0% Stephen Crainey
0% Paul Butler