Leedsunited.com 5/1/08
THREE AND EASY
UNITED 3 (Richardson 43, Marques 52, Weston 90), NORTHAMPTON 0
The game was preceded by the announcement that the club had agreed terms to sign Stoke City midfielder Peter Sweeney, and boss Dennis Wise continued his shake-up on the field.
New recruit Neil Kilkenny made his debut alongside Andrew Hughes in the middle of the park, Ben Parker was handed a starting role at left-back, Ian Westlake returned in place of Seb Carole on the left, and Tore Andre Flo made his first start of the season in place of Tresor Kandol.
Paul Huntington also made his first league start in place of the suspended Matt Heath.
Kilkenny got himself involved immediately as United, on the back of run that has produced one point from a possible nine, started the brighter of the two sides and looked the more threatening.
Leeds played some good passing football during the opening 20 minutes and the home side were forced to defend deep and in numbers.
On 23 minutes United were denied by a double block from Northampton. Huntington picked out Beckford with a terrific pass, but the striker was denied by goalkeeper Mark Bunn. And Flo's follow-up effort was hacked off the line by Brett Johnson.
United continued to dominate with Huntington providing three more delightful passes as Leeds enjoyed a great spell of possession. Kilkenny was instrumental alongside Hughes in the middle and both full-backs overlapped well to keep the visitors pegged back.
The opening goal finally came in the 43rd minute and was very much deserved. It came from an unlikely source with defender Frazer Richardson, looking rejuvenated, advancing to the edge of the box before picking his spot to leave Bunn with no chance.
The goal was just rewards for a terrific opening half of football from Leeds.
The United boss made a change at half-time with Carole replacing Westlake on the left-hand side.
And it was 2-0 seven minutes into the second half, following another well-worked goal. Hughes knocked Kilkenny's corner back into box and Rui Marques, playing his final game before joining up with Angola, headed home in style.
The visitors finally showed some ambition after United went two-up and substitute Ian Henderson cllipped a Dean Bowditch cross over the top.
But Flo almost made it three on 67 minutes when after working himself an opening, cutting in from the right, he curled his shot narrowly wide. Moments later, Bunn got down well to deny Parker after the defender turned a Kilkenny free-kick goalwards.
On 73 minutes Beckford had a shot cleared off the line after showing great skill to force the chance. Just 90 seconds later a curler from Beckford was headed onto an upright by a Northampton defender as United continued to run the game.
The Mexican Wave even returned to the stands as the fans enjoyed one of the most comfortable performances of the season.
Amazingly, the determined Beckford was denied yet again as the clock ticked down. First Bunn made a good block and as Beckford stuck at it, and got another touch, a defender cleared off the line.
And in the final minute, Bunn clung onto a Beckford header after Carole supplied a good delivery.
But there was more to come, and in the third minute of stoppage time, substitute Curtis Weston scored his first goal for the club with a terrific low finish which left Bunn with no chance and put the seal on a comfortable win.
The performance was more than enough to ensure a return to winning ways and United moved back to fourth in the table.
THREE AND EASY
UNITED 3 (Richardson 43, Marques 52, Weston 90), NORTHAMPTON 0
The game was preceded by the announcement that the club had agreed terms to sign Stoke City midfielder Peter Sweeney, and boss Dennis Wise continued his shake-up on the field.
New recruit Neil Kilkenny made his debut alongside Andrew Hughes in the middle of the park, Ben Parker was handed a starting role at left-back, Ian Westlake returned in place of Seb Carole on the left, and Tore Andre Flo made his first start of the season in place of Tresor Kandol.
Paul Huntington also made his first league start in place of the suspended Matt Heath.
Kilkenny got himself involved immediately as United, on the back of run that has produced one point from a possible nine, started the brighter of the two sides and looked the more threatening.
Leeds played some good passing football during the opening 20 minutes and the home side were forced to defend deep and in numbers.
On 23 minutes United were denied by a double block from Northampton. Huntington picked out Beckford with a terrific pass, but the striker was denied by goalkeeper Mark Bunn. And Flo's follow-up effort was hacked off the line by Brett Johnson.
United continued to dominate with Huntington providing three more delightful passes as Leeds enjoyed a great spell of possession. Kilkenny was instrumental alongside Hughes in the middle and both full-backs overlapped well to keep the visitors pegged back.
The opening goal finally came in the 43rd minute and was very much deserved. It came from an unlikely source with defender Frazer Richardson, looking rejuvenated, advancing to the edge of the box before picking his spot to leave Bunn with no chance.
The goal was just rewards for a terrific opening half of football from Leeds.
The United boss made a change at half-time with Carole replacing Westlake on the left-hand side.
And it was 2-0 seven minutes into the second half, following another well-worked goal. Hughes knocked Kilkenny's corner back into box and Rui Marques, playing his final game before joining up with Angola, headed home in style.
The visitors finally showed some ambition after United went two-up and substitute Ian Henderson cllipped a Dean Bowditch cross over the top.
But Flo almost made it three on 67 minutes when after working himself an opening, cutting in from the right, he curled his shot narrowly wide. Moments later, Bunn got down well to deny Parker after the defender turned a Kilkenny free-kick goalwards.
On 73 minutes Beckford had a shot cleared off the line after showing great skill to force the chance. Just 90 seconds later a curler from Beckford was headed onto an upright by a Northampton defender as United continued to run the game.
The Mexican Wave even returned to the stands as the fans enjoyed one of the most comfortable performances of the season.
Amazingly, the determined Beckford was denied yet again as the clock ticked down. First Bunn made a good block and as Beckford stuck at it, and got another touch, a defender cleared off the line.
And in the final minute, Bunn clung onto a Beckford header after Carole supplied a good delivery.
But there was more to come, and in the third minute of stoppage time, substitute Curtis Weston scored his first goal for the club with a terrific low finish which left Bunn with no chance and put the seal on a comfortable win.
The performance was more than enough to ensure a return to winning ways and United moved back to fourth in the table.
