Leeds United Football Club - Matchreport Birmingham City vs Leeds United
Pre-match
United boss Kevin Blackwell makes two changes to the side that beat Coventry City on Monday, one of the changes enforced due to Clarke Carlisle's sending off against the Sky Blues and subsequent suspension.
With skipper Paul Butler still suspended, Michael Duberry returns from his loan spell at Stoke City to take one of the centre-half places alongside birthday boy Matthew Kilgallon, 21 today.
Gary Kelly return from his suspension to take up his place at right-back again with Frazer Richardson moving to left-back. Danny Pugh is the man who drops out, making do with a place on the bench instead. United's latest loan signing, Southampton's Leandre Griffit, also had to make do with a place on the bench.
Birmingham went with the powerful front pairing of Clinton Morrison and Emile Heskey, whilst there was no place for new signing Robbie Blake, a £1.5m buy from Burnley.
The Match
Kevin Blackwell had billed this game as a tremendous test for his young players against Premiership opposition, and they settled in well after kick-off.
Matthew Kilgallon was making only his second FA Cup start and a few early touches from him to prevent Clinton Morrison from breaking clear helped him settle.
The home side gradually began to apply pressure and Emile Heskey shot over the top just before former Elland Road trialist Julian Gray had a low drive turned away by Neil Sullivan.
Midfielder Darren Carter should have done better six yards out when the ball broke for him but his duff shot was straight at Sullivan who gathered comfortably.
Eventually the pressure told on United and the collapse began with the home side taking the lead on ten minutes
City's quick break down the right caught Frazer Richardson out of position and the ball was played through by Morrison to an unmarked Heskey and the striker clipped his shot over Sullivan and it went in off the left hand post.
Minutes later Darren Carter booked for a foul on Lennon and United were presented with their first real chance to get a shot in on goal.
The free-kick was taken by Healy, he pushed it low through the wall and nearly caught Maik Taylor in the Birmingham goal out but the keeper just got a hand to the ball to push it away for a corner.
Leeds started to keep possession better and had Birmingham camped back inside their own half for the next five minutes or so, but just as they appeared to be getting back into the game they suffered a blow.
Nathan Blake went down injured on 18 minutes after attacking a corner and had to be stretchered off. The striker had been in great form at Coventry and concern must now be about how serious his injury is with his thigh heavily strapped up.
Julian Joachim came on to replace him and was given an unfriendly welcome by the Birmingham fans who recall his Aston Villa connections.
Two minutes later though and United's task at St Andrews became an uphill struggle when the home side doubled their lead.
For whatever reason, Michael Duberry decided to take the ball upfield, foolishly as it turned out, lost possession and the Blues attacked swiftly. Darren Carter pushed it home after Heskey delivered the ball into the middle for him with Duberry still languishing on his backside deep upfield.
The goal prompted Kevin Blackwell to make another change, Michael Duberry's return to the United side lasted 22 minutes as he went off and was replaced by Danny Pugh. Sean Gregan reverted to centre-half.
It was going to take a monumental effort for Leeds to come back into the game after the early goals and the loss of Blake, but they played with their heads up and worked hard to create a number of chances before half-time.
Jermaine Wright floated a cross towards the back post and Kilgallon barged his way through the Birmingham defence to meet it but headed it straight at the keeper.
On the half hour mark Wright delivered another good ball into the centre and this time it was Simon Walton who met it well, but his glancing header went the wrong side of the post.
Birmingham made a change six minutes before the end of the half, Stan Lazaridis limped off and was replaced by Jamie Clapham.
Leeds went for broke after the break, attacking from the off with nothing to lose and their boldness was nearly rewarded with a goal.
Richardson took aim from 35-yard and fired in a low drive that Taylor could only push away and the keeper reacted well to block the follow up from Joachim. A goal then would have put Leeds back in with a chance.
Eight minutes into the second half and it was nearly 3-0 to the home side but Morrison blasted his shot over the top after collecting a neat lay-off from Clapham.
Leeds came straight back at the Blues, another run by Richardson created the opening and his cross came in and Lennon's shot was turned over his own bar by Taylor. They were getting closer but it was not nearly enough.
United's efforts though were undone on 65 minutes when Birmingham took a 3-0 lead.
Joachim appealed for the foul on the edge of the Birmingham penalty area but nothing was forthcoming from referee Graham Poll and Birmingham moved swiftly upfield with the ball. It was played into the middle where Kilgallon nearly intercepted it but instead Carter came steaming in and smashed home his second goal of the tie. Effectively it was game over and the end of Leeds United's cup hopes for another year.
Jermaine Wright tried his luck with a free-kick from 20-yards with a quarter of an hour left to play. It was a good attempt but the ball curled past the left hand post and United's best hopes went with it.
Healy also forced Taylor into a good save from a free-kick late on and it seemed nothing would beat the keeper this afternoon. Lennon could have done so in the last two minutes of the game but he shot tamely at the Taylor.
So Leeds FA Cup hopes ended with a whimper at the first stage but the bread and butter stuff of the league is what matters most to the Whites this season and they can have no distractions now as they set their sights on the realistic task of establishing themselves in the top half of the Championship at least.
Pre-match
United boss Kevin Blackwell makes two changes to the side that beat Coventry City on Monday, one of the changes enforced due to Clarke Carlisle's sending off against the Sky Blues and subsequent suspension.
With skipper Paul Butler still suspended, Michael Duberry returns from his loan spell at Stoke City to take one of the centre-half places alongside birthday boy Matthew Kilgallon, 21 today.
Gary Kelly return from his suspension to take up his place at right-back again with Frazer Richardson moving to left-back. Danny Pugh is the man who drops out, making do with a place on the bench instead. United's latest loan signing, Southampton's Leandre Griffit, also had to make do with a place on the bench.
Birmingham went with the powerful front pairing of Clinton Morrison and Emile Heskey, whilst there was no place for new signing Robbie Blake, a £1.5m buy from Burnley.
The Match
Kevin Blackwell had billed this game as a tremendous test for his young players against Premiership opposition, and they settled in well after kick-off.
Matthew Kilgallon was making only his second FA Cup start and a few early touches from him to prevent Clinton Morrison from breaking clear helped him settle.
The home side gradually began to apply pressure and Emile Heskey shot over the top just before former Elland Road trialist Julian Gray had a low drive turned away by Neil Sullivan.
Midfielder Darren Carter should have done better six yards out when the ball broke for him but his duff shot was straight at Sullivan who gathered comfortably.
Eventually the pressure told on United and the collapse began with the home side taking the lead on ten minutes
City's quick break down the right caught Frazer Richardson out of position and the ball was played through by Morrison to an unmarked Heskey and the striker clipped his shot over Sullivan and it went in off the left hand post.
Minutes later Darren Carter booked for a foul on Lennon and United were presented with their first real chance to get a shot in on goal.
The free-kick was taken by Healy, he pushed it low through the wall and nearly caught Maik Taylor in the Birmingham goal out but the keeper just got a hand to the ball to push it away for a corner.
Leeds started to keep possession better and had Birmingham camped back inside their own half for the next five minutes or so, but just as they appeared to be getting back into the game they suffered a blow.
Nathan Blake went down injured on 18 minutes after attacking a corner and had to be stretchered off. The striker had been in great form at Coventry and concern must now be about how serious his injury is with his thigh heavily strapped up.
Julian Joachim came on to replace him and was given an unfriendly welcome by the Birmingham fans who recall his Aston Villa connections.
Two minutes later though and United's task at St Andrews became an uphill struggle when the home side doubled their lead.
For whatever reason, Michael Duberry decided to take the ball upfield, foolishly as it turned out, lost possession and the Blues attacked swiftly. Darren Carter pushed it home after Heskey delivered the ball into the middle for him with Duberry still languishing on his backside deep upfield.
The goal prompted Kevin Blackwell to make another change, Michael Duberry's return to the United side lasted 22 minutes as he went off and was replaced by Danny Pugh. Sean Gregan reverted to centre-half.
It was going to take a monumental effort for Leeds to come back into the game after the early goals and the loss of Blake, but they played with their heads up and worked hard to create a number of chances before half-time.
Jermaine Wright floated a cross towards the back post and Kilgallon barged his way through the Birmingham defence to meet it but headed it straight at the keeper.
On the half hour mark Wright delivered another good ball into the centre and this time it was Simon Walton who met it well, but his glancing header went the wrong side of the post.
Birmingham made a change six minutes before the end of the half, Stan Lazaridis limped off and was replaced by Jamie Clapham.
Leeds went for broke after the break, attacking from the off with nothing to lose and their boldness was nearly rewarded with a goal.
Richardson took aim from 35-yard and fired in a low drive that Taylor could only push away and the keeper reacted well to block the follow up from Joachim. A goal then would have put Leeds back in with a chance.
Eight minutes into the second half and it was nearly 3-0 to the home side but Morrison blasted his shot over the top after collecting a neat lay-off from Clapham.
Leeds came straight back at the Blues, another run by Richardson created the opening and his cross came in and Lennon's shot was turned over his own bar by Taylor. They were getting closer but it was not nearly enough.
United's efforts though were undone on 65 minutes when Birmingham took a 3-0 lead.
Joachim appealed for the foul on the edge of the Birmingham penalty area but nothing was forthcoming from referee Graham Poll and Birmingham moved swiftly upfield with the ball. It was played into the middle where Kilgallon nearly intercepted it but instead Carter came steaming in and smashed home his second goal of the tie. Effectively it was game over and the end of Leeds United's cup hopes for another year.
Jermaine Wright tried his luck with a free-kick from 20-yards with a quarter of an hour left to play. It was a good attempt but the ball curled past the left hand post and United's best hopes went with it.
Healy also forced Taylor into a good save from a free-kick late on and it seemed nothing would beat the keeper this afternoon. Lennon could have done so in the last two minutes of the game but he shot tamely at the Taylor.
So Leeds FA Cup hopes ended with a whimper at the first stage but the bread and butter stuff of the league is what matters most to the Whites this season and they can have no distractions now as they set their sights on the realistic task of establishing themselves in the top half of the Championship at least.
