Leeds United Football Club - Matchreport Leeds United vs Cardiff City
Leeds 1 Cardiff 1
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell made three changes for the visit of Cardiff, two of them enforced after losing striker Nathan Blake to a hamstring injury and midfielder Sean Gregan with illness.
Blake's absence saw a positional move for David Healy who played as the central striker and Julian Joachim came in on the left hand side with Aaron Lennon down the right.
Danny Pugh was dropped for the game against Birmingham City in the FA Cup but he returns to a midfield that included Jermaine Wright and Simon Walton.
At the back skipper Paul Butler returned from suspension to take his place alongside Matthew Kilgallon, which meant Clarke Carlisle missed out after returning from his own ban. Frazer Richardson remained at left-back.
The Match
With less than two minutes on the clock David Healy took tried to catch Cardiff out with a snap shot at goal. Simon Walton had trapped a long ball forward and it came back to the Healy 20-yards out and he stung the fingers of Bluebirds keeper Tony Warner with his drive.
Two minutes later and Healy was to have an even better effort on goal - and Warner an even better save. Running along the edge of the area Healy curled a shot a goal and only a good dive and touch from the keeper prevented Leeds from taking an early lead.
It was just the start United fans had hoped to see and as a result the atmosphere inside Elland Road was buzzing from the start.
Leeds were enjoying the start so much even Gary Kelly was able to come forward and get a rare shot off, he just put the ball the wrong side of the left hand post.
With so much possession something had to give in the Cardiff defence, and thankfully it did after 13 minutes of play when Leeds grabbed the opener.
It came from a series of neat passes on the left hand side of the penalty area that had Cardiff chasing shadows, first Wright and Lennon played the ball around between themselves, then Simon Walton joined in and took the ball on, played it to Healy and received a perfect return pass which left him with a clear sight of goal just six yards out, and Walton made no mistake as he drilled his shot home.
It was the teenager's third goal of his Elland Road career.
Cardiff had a chance to come straight back at Leeds when they won a corner after the restart but the ball was volleyed behind for a goal kick and a minute later a shot from Huddersfield-born striker Cameron Jerome was turned behind by Sullivan.
Lennie Lawrence's side made a change as early as the half hour mark when Jerome went off and was replaced by striker Alan Lee as the visitors looked to add more attacking impetus.
After their blistering start, Leeds appeared to run out of steam a little and Cardiff were coming into the game more. What it needed was another goal from the Whites to set themselves up for a comfortable victory but the chances for Kevin Blackwell's side dried up before half time.
In injury time Cardiff produced a scare when Junichi Inamoto hammered a shot against the bar from 25-yards, Sullivan appeared to be confident that it would go over and fortunately United escaped with their slender lead intact at half time.
Having scored in the first half Simon Walton tried again right at the start of the second, this time though his aim was off and he didn't trouble the keeper.
Cardiff had also come out with the intention of being more positive and when Peter Thorne hooked a shot at goal Leeds had Sullivan to thank for taking a clean catch.
Five minutes into the half Cardiff got back on level terms after being awarded a controversial penalty.
Richard Langley was chasing a ball into the box after Cardiff had broken forward and it appeared to all the world that Neil Sullivan had come out in time and got to the ball before Langley went tumbling over his arms. After a few seconds deliberation, and to the bewilderment of all the United players, the referee pointed to the spot.
It was Thorne who stepped up and the veteran striker rolled it past Sullivan after sending him the wrong way.
Leeds now needed to forget about the incident and concentrate on regaining the lead.
Kevin Blackwell made his first change of the match, bringing Clarke Carlisle on and taking Aaron Lennon off, with Frazer Richardson moving up to the right wing. It appeared to be very much a tactical decision with Carlisle a useful ally when attacking at set-pieces.
On 65 minutes the visitors had an opportunity to take the lead themselves when Graham Kavanagh swung in a free-kick into the box. Had James Collins header been on target they might have taken the lead, as it was Leeds escaped.
Cardiff were being allowed to play more by Leeds and Alan Lee came claose with a curling shot that just went wide. The worry amongst the crowd was that sooner or later they would find a perfect finish to one of their chances and Blackwell's men were living dangerously.
Leeds were struggling to break Cardiff down no matter how hard they worked and it was clear they were getting more desperate as time went on. The Bluebirds appeared content with their point but were always a danger on the break and Jobi McAnuff was afforded too much time and space for a shot that thankfully he couldn't put on target.
Leeds second change of the game came with six minutes remaining, Matthew Spring coming on for Simon Walton.
Peter Thorne headed wide from a corner for Cardiff late on and as the time counted down to the final whisle it looked certain that this game, one which after 20 minutes you would have looked foolish to bet on anything other than a Leeds win, was destined to end in a draw.
When the final whisltle went, everyone inside Elland Road knew they United had missed another golden opportunity to take all three points.
Leeds 1 Cardiff 1
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell made three changes for the visit of Cardiff, two of them enforced after losing striker Nathan Blake to a hamstring injury and midfielder Sean Gregan with illness.
Blake's absence saw a positional move for David Healy who played as the central striker and Julian Joachim came in on the left hand side with Aaron Lennon down the right.
Danny Pugh was dropped for the game against Birmingham City in the FA Cup but he returns to a midfield that included Jermaine Wright and Simon Walton.
At the back skipper Paul Butler returned from suspension to take his place alongside Matthew Kilgallon, which meant Clarke Carlisle missed out after returning from his own ban. Frazer Richardson remained at left-back.
The Match
With less than two minutes on the clock David Healy took tried to catch Cardiff out with a snap shot at goal. Simon Walton had trapped a long ball forward and it came back to the Healy 20-yards out and he stung the fingers of Bluebirds keeper Tony Warner with his drive.
Two minutes later and Healy was to have an even better effort on goal - and Warner an even better save. Running along the edge of the area Healy curled a shot a goal and only a good dive and touch from the keeper prevented Leeds from taking an early lead.
It was just the start United fans had hoped to see and as a result the atmosphere inside Elland Road was buzzing from the start.
Leeds were enjoying the start so much even Gary Kelly was able to come forward and get a rare shot off, he just put the ball the wrong side of the left hand post.
With so much possession something had to give in the Cardiff defence, and thankfully it did after 13 minutes of play when Leeds grabbed the opener.
It came from a series of neat passes on the left hand side of the penalty area that had Cardiff chasing shadows, first Wright and Lennon played the ball around between themselves, then Simon Walton joined in and took the ball on, played it to Healy and received a perfect return pass which left him with a clear sight of goal just six yards out, and Walton made no mistake as he drilled his shot home.
It was the teenager's third goal of his Elland Road career.
Cardiff had a chance to come straight back at Leeds when they won a corner after the restart but the ball was volleyed behind for a goal kick and a minute later a shot from Huddersfield-born striker Cameron Jerome was turned behind by Sullivan.
Lennie Lawrence's side made a change as early as the half hour mark when Jerome went off and was replaced by striker Alan Lee as the visitors looked to add more attacking impetus.
After their blistering start, Leeds appeared to run out of steam a little and Cardiff were coming into the game more. What it needed was another goal from the Whites to set themselves up for a comfortable victory but the chances for Kevin Blackwell's side dried up before half time.
In injury time Cardiff produced a scare when Junichi Inamoto hammered a shot against the bar from 25-yards, Sullivan appeared to be confident that it would go over and fortunately United escaped with their slender lead intact at half time.
Having scored in the first half Simon Walton tried again right at the start of the second, this time though his aim was off and he didn't trouble the keeper.
Cardiff had also come out with the intention of being more positive and when Peter Thorne hooked a shot at goal Leeds had Sullivan to thank for taking a clean catch.
Five minutes into the half Cardiff got back on level terms after being awarded a controversial penalty.
Richard Langley was chasing a ball into the box after Cardiff had broken forward and it appeared to all the world that Neil Sullivan had come out in time and got to the ball before Langley went tumbling over his arms. After a few seconds deliberation, and to the bewilderment of all the United players, the referee pointed to the spot.
It was Thorne who stepped up and the veteran striker rolled it past Sullivan after sending him the wrong way.
Leeds now needed to forget about the incident and concentrate on regaining the lead.
Kevin Blackwell made his first change of the match, bringing Clarke Carlisle on and taking Aaron Lennon off, with Frazer Richardson moving up to the right wing. It appeared to be very much a tactical decision with Carlisle a useful ally when attacking at set-pieces.
On 65 minutes the visitors had an opportunity to take the lead themselves when Graham Kavanagh swung in a free-kick into the box. Had James Collins header been on target they might have taken the lead, as it was Leeds escaped.
Cardiff were being allowed to play more by Leeds and Alan Lee came claose with a curling shot that just went wide. The worry amongst the crowd was that sooner or later they would find a perfect finish to one of their chances and Blackwell's men were living dangerously.
Leeds were struggling to break Cardiff down no matter how hard they worked and it was clear they were getting more desperate as time went on. The Bluebirds appeared content with their point but were always a danger on the break and Jobi McAnuff was afforded too much time and space for a shot that thankfully he couldn't put on target.
Leeds second change of the game came with six minutes remaining, Matthew Spring coming on for Simon Walton.
Peter Thorne headed wide from a corner for Cardiff late on and as the time counted down to the final whisle it looked certain that this game, one which after 20 minutes you would have looked foolish to bet on anything other than a Leeds win, was destined to end in a draw.
When the final whisltle went, everyone inside Elland Road knew they United had missed another golden opportunity to take all three points.
