Leeds United handed boost as ‘genuinely class’ star confirms his commitment to the club - YEP 4/8/23

Leedsunited.com 20/9/09
GAFFER - TOP'S THE PERFECT BOOST
United boss delighted with pole position...
United manager Simon Grayson said going top of League One was the perfect boost for his side ahead of Tuesday's Carling Cup distraction against Liverpool.
United warmed up for the sell-out clash with Liverpool by romping to a 4-1 Elland Road win against Gillingham on Saturday.
Bradley Johnson scored twice before Jonny Howson andJermaine Beckford put the seal on United's biggest win so far this season.
And with Charlton being hit by a late equaliser at Norwich City, United moved two points clear at the top of the league.
"We're delighted to go top," said the manager.
"It's still very early days, but it's nice to be there and it's nice to be in front.
"The main thing is staying up here and maintaining the standards we have set, and hopefully staying ahead of the pack.
"Being top of the league gives us a boost going into Tuesday's game and a platform for the rest of the season.
"As I''ve said on more than one occasion already this season, I am incredibly proud of what the players are doing, but nothing is won at this stage of the season. It's where we are in May that counts.
"We faltered a bit at times on Saturday but did enough to win the game.
"We knew Gillingham had pace and would come and have a go, but Bradley got a couple of good goals in the first half - he is doing ever so well this season- and that put us in a good position."
The boss had banned any talk of the forthcoming cup clash with Liverpool, and it was only after the final whistle went on Saturday and when the players returned to Thorp Arch on Sunday morning that the chatter could start.
"They had to focus on beating Gillingham because the league is their bread and butter and they showed the right attitude on Saturday," added the manager.
"We are playing one of the best teams in the world on Tuesday but we will approach the game with a lot of confidence and belief."

Yorkshire Evening Post 20/10/09
Leeds United trounce Gillingham to go clear at top of League One
As instructed by their manager, Leeds United fixed their gaze on the job in hand as the potential distraction of Liverpool offered Gillingham no advantage at Elland Road.
A 4-1 victory over the Kent club, achieved before half-time had arrived, dealt comprehensively with the question of where United's attention was turned yesterday with a Carling Cup tie against Liverpool on the horizon.

The former European Cup holders and perennial Premier League members will arrive at Elland Road on Tuesday night for the finest third-round fixture United could have wished for, but Simon Grayson insistence before yesterday's League One match was that his players should understand the club's priorities. He was not disappointed.

Two goals scored by Bradley Johnson inside 28 minutes ensured that Gillingham's visit to Leeds passed without concern, carrying United clear of Charlton Athletic at the top of League One and extending a record which shows no sign of faltering.

Yesterday's league victory was their 15th in succession at Elland Road and the defeat of Gillingham was consistent with most insofar as being well deserved and rarely in doubt. Barring one early chance with which Gillingham might have opened the scoring, there were few moments when United's ship looked likely to capsize.

It has been that way throughout the season and a seventh league win has given Grayson the luxury of applying his focus to a dream of a cup tie in which Leeds have little tangible to lose with the comforting thought that the draw has not hindered his club's season. Equally, another victory added to the list will tempt him to throw his full armoury against Liverpool on Tuesday.

The major interest surrounding Grayson's line-up yesterday was whether United's boss would recall Richard Naylor to the centre of defence, but Jason Crowe's recovery from a tight hamstring made that gamble unnecessary.

Crowe remained at right-back, preventing a reshuffle of the defence which started at Southend United last week, and Naylor was not included in Leeds' squad at all, an indication of Grayson's continuing caution with respect to the fitness of his club captain. Gillingham, however, did not take long to examine the centre-backs he had turned to instead.

Simeon Jackson's weighted pass in the 10th-minute was delicate enough to feed Curtis Weston in behind United's defence and Patrick Kisnorbo worked desperately with Andrew Hughes to hustle the midfielder before he could attack Shane Higgs.

Weston's clever back-heel forced the ball across Leeds' goal and into space but a shot on the turn from Andy Barcham missed Higgs' right-hand post by a fraction.

If that minor misjudgement was crucial, the error made by Josh Gowling at the other end of the field two minutes came with greater consequences for the visitors.

Gowling turned behind a shot from Luciano Becchio which Gillingham goalkeeper Simon Royce was waiting to collect comfortably, and the resulting corner from Robert Snodgrass was hammered into the visitors' net by Johnson's header. Danny Jackman, defending the goalline, could only help the ball on its way.
The chain of events made Gillingham reassess tactics which were sensibly designed to exploit their pace on the counter-attack, a strategy encouraged by United's sublime record at Elland Road. Any optimism for their manager Mark Stimson came from the occasional difficulty that Kisnorbo and Leigh Bromby, Grayson's chosen central defenders, were having in picking up Gillingham's attacking players.

What hope that offered diminished in the 28th minute. An exchange of passes with Jermaine Beckford set Johnson clear inside Gillingham's box and the midfielder held off Barry Fuller before squeezing a shot under Royce. His second goal of the game threatened to open the floodgates.

Instead, the first half wound down quietly, bringing only a booking for Bromby after a foul on Jackson 40 yards from goal. Weston, the former Leeds player, had another chance in the last minute of the half but pulled his shot across goal from a wide but promising angle. A clinical edge, so apparent in Leeds, was missing among Stimson's players.

By the time the first minute of the second half had elapsed, his team were trailing by three goals.

Snodgrass' chip forward was flicked on by Beckford, and Jonathan Howson controlled the ball with a knee before lashing a volley past Royce, badly exposed yet again.

Almost before Royce had regained his composure, Beckford was driving a shot against his crossbar and Becchio was rising to steer a free header wide as Leeds ran riot, but Gillingham responded unexpectedly when Andy Barcham volleyed home a ricochet from Kevin Maher's free-kick.

United accepted that warning and reacted to Grayson's encouragement from the sidelines. Beckford aimed a shot across Royce after losing his marker, narrowly missing the keeper's far post, and Neil Kilkenny's arrival from the bench helped to guard a keeper in Higgs who saw few further shots in anger.

The critical moment arrived in the 78th minute when Jackson missed a free header from six yards which would have instilled tension in Leeds and then watched as United's next attack ended with Beckford tapping in the rebound after Michael Doyle's shot struck the woodwork.

Relentless is the only word to describe it.