Yorkshire Evening Post 19/10/11
Rachubka clanger costs Whites dear
By Phil Hay
For 90 minutes and more, a change of goalkeeper by Leeds United passed almost unnoticed at Elland Road, but a last-gasp error from Paul Rachubka cost Leeds United a victory over Coventry City.
The former Manchester United trainee stepped in for the injured Andy Lonergan last night and delivered a near flawless performance until his fumble in the closing seconds surrendered two points at the death.
Leeds were closing in nervously on a 1-0 win, leading through Darren O’Dea’s 26th-minute goal, when Rachubka spilled a cross from Cyrus Christie and watched Richard Wood knock the
loose ball into his net.
Blame fell heavily on the 30-year-old keeper, making his full league debut at Elland Road, but accusing fingers could be as readily pointed at the outfield players who dropped dangerously deep in the last 10 minutes and failed en masse to see out the game.
Such was Coventry’s late surge that their draw was almost deserved.
O’Dea’s confident strike, scored by a centre-back who showed striker’s instinct, put United on course for a third straight win and a third successive clean sheet, and Simon Grayson’s side had chances aplenty to put the match beyond reach.
But United’s manager could sense the walls closing in as full-time approached and the introduction of Mika Vayrynen was an anxious attempt to see his side home.
As passes went astray and possession was passed up repeatedly and wastefully, Coventry’s frantic pressure came to bear in the third minute of injury-time.
Goalkeeping issues threatened to affect both clubs but Coventry avoided a late change when Joe Murphy was passed fit after concussion and took his place in their team.
Leeds were less fortunate, and a bruised finger forced Lonergan to retreat to the stands.
Paul Rachubka, on his full league debut, gave Grayson a proven replacement and Alex Cairns a less proven substitute, aged 18 and with no prior experience of the Football League.
Had Lonergan been fit, Grayson would have left his team untouched after their cakewalk at Doncaster on Friday evening.
A fifth win in sixth games beckoned yesterday along with a third clean sheet in as many league matches. The second of those achievements last occurred two years ago.
Rachubka was isolated initially, required to make only two cursory touches in the first 12 minutes.
Murphy on the other hand was on his guard immediately, watching two crosses fly through his goalmouth before Ross McCormack met an improvised delivery from Robert Snodgrass with a diving header which dropped onto the roof of Murphy’s net. It was a warning shot with six minutes played and Coventry’s defence absent.
Another came four minutes later when Snodgrass found Andy Keogh with a deep and skillful cross, hit with too much power for the striker to finish on the volley.
But Rachubka was put under pressure soon after when he dived to parry Gary Deegan’s 20-yard shot and looked on gratefully as Lukas Jutkiewicz slashed the rebound over the bar from a tight angle.
For most vantage points in the ground, it looked easier to score.
Coventry’s confidence seemed in need of a chance like that and they gained sight of Rachubka again during a scramble inside United’s box in the 20th minute. O’Dea blocked one shot and Paul Connolly cleared another from David Bell after the ball dropped into space 18 yards from goal.
But Leeds sought to reassert themselves and a Snodgrass’ free-kick forced Murphy to beat the ball away as it bounced in front of his goalline moments before O’Dea beat the Coventry keeper with an immaculate finish.
The Irishman’s chance was cheaply offered when an attempt to clear Paul Connolly’s cross struck the back of Clive Platt but O’Dea controlled the ricochet before beating Murphy with the calibre of strike which Grayson would have expected from a player like McCormack. City’s last line of defence had no chance of stopping it.
Opportunities to turn the screw arrived quickly as United pressed forward with their tails up. McCormack tested Murphy with an effort towards the near post and Richard Keogh turned a header from Andy Keogh behind amid strong suspicions of handball.
O’Dea, having banked his first Championship goal, threatened another when he arrived from nowhere to nod the ball wide and, for most of what remained of the first half, Rachubka was left to observe from a distance, asked to do little more than retrieve the occasional stray pass towards his area. Leeds allowed Coventry little of the ball and no space to work with what possession they had.
Sammy Clingan – for a while a summer transfer target of Grayson’s – drilled a rare opening straight into Rachubka’s hands but United should have scored a second goal before half-time and were amazed to see McCormack pass up the easiest of openings.
Passes
Keogh laid it off to him six yards from goal after the pair exchanged passes on the edge of Coventry’s box but McCormack got under the ball and hooked it high over Murphy’s net.
The Scot wore the perplexed look of a man whose overhead kick against Doncaster won the Football League’s goal-of-the-week vote yesterday morning.
Ultimately, the miss mattered. Coventry made two substitutions at half-time, bringing on Cody McDonald and Gael Bigirimana, and Leeds struggled to maintain their hold on the midfield, giving McDonald more freedom than they had afforded the ineffective Platt.
Snodgrass, whose authority and skill caught the eye from the first whistle, kept Murphy involved by teeing up Danny Pugh for a header which the keeper blocked and then firing an ambitious shot inches wide of a post.
Murphy protected Coventry again when he used his body to divert a Clayton effort over his bar.
Grayson clearly wanted the security of a second goal and he replaced McCormack and Keogh with Luciano Becchio and Mikael Forssell with 20 minutes remaining.
Soon enough the call went out for Vayrynen as, with Coventry seeing more of the ball and McDonald clipping the top of Rachubka’s bar, Grayson attempted to protect what Leeds already had.
His players looked to have reached the winning post but, deep into injury-time, Rachubka failed to gather Christie’s cross and Leeds’ fan Wood buried the rebound. Elland Road had seen it coming and so had Grayson.
Rachubka clanger costs Whites dear
By Phil Hay
For 90 minutes and more, a change of goalkeeper by Leeds United passed almost unnoticed at Elland Road, but a last-gasp error from Paul Rachubka cost Leeds United a victory over Coventry City.
The former Manchester United trainee stepped in for the injured Andy Lonergan last night and delivered a near flawless performance until his fumble in the closing seconds surrendered two points at the death.
Leeds were closing in nervously on a 1-0 win, leading through Darren O’Dea’s 26th-minute goal, when Rachubka spilled a cross from Cyrus Christie and watched Richard Wood knock the
loose ball into his net.Blame fell heavily on the 30-year-old keeper, making his full league debut at Elland Road, but accusing fingers could be as readily pointed at the outfield players who dropped dangerously deep in the last 10 minutes and failed en masse to see out the game.
Such was Coventry’s late surge that their draw was almost deserved.
O’Dea’s confident strike, scored by a centre-back who showed striker’s instinct, put United on course for a third straight win and a third successive clean sheet, and Simon Grayson’s side had chances aplenty to put the match beyond reach.
But United’s manager could sense the walls closing in as full-time approached and the introduction of Mika Vayrynen was an anxious attempt to see his side home.
As passes went astray and possession was passed up repeatedly and wastefully, Coventry’s frantic pressure came to bear in the third minute of injury-time.
Goalkeeping issues threatened to affect both clubs but Coventry avoided a late change when Joe Murphy was passed fit after concussion and took his place in their team.
Leeds were less fortunate, and a bruised finger forced Lonergan to retreat to the stands.
Paul Rachubka, on his full league debut, gave Grayson a proven replacement and Alex Cairns a less proven substitute, aged 18 and with no prior experience of the Football League.
Had Lonergan been fit, Grayson would have left his team untouched after their cakewalk at Doncaster on Friday evening.
A fifth win in sixth games beckoned yesterday along with a third clean sheet in as many league matches. The second of those achievements last occurred two years ago.
Rachubka was isolated initially, required to make only two cursory touches in the first 12 minutes.
Murphy on the other hand was on his guard immediately, watching two crosses fly through his goalmouth before Ross McCormack met an improvised delivery from Robert Snodgrass with a diving header which dropped onto the roof of Murphy’s net. It was a warning shot with six minutes played and Coventry’s defence absent.
Another came four minutes later when Snodgrass found Andy Keogh with a deep and skillful cross, hit with too much power for the striker to finish on the volley.
But Rachubka was put under pressure soon after when he dived to parry Gary Deegan’s 20-yard shot and looked on gratefully as Lukas Jutkiewicz slashed the rebound over the bar from a tight angle.
For most vantage points in the ground, it looked easier to score.
Coventry’s confidence seemed in need of a chance like that and they gained sight of Rachubka again during a scramble inside United’s box in the 20th minute. O’Dea blocked one shot and Paul Connolly cleared another from David Bell after the ball dropped into space 18 yards from goal.
But Leeds sought to reassert themselves and a Snodgrass’ free-kick forced Murphy to beat the ball away as it bounced in front of his goalline moments before O’Dea beat the Coventry keeper with an immaculate finish.
The Irishman’s chance was cheaply offered when an attempt to clear Paul Connolly’s cross struck the back of Clive Platt but O’Dea controlled the ricochet before beating Murphy with the calibre of strike which Grayson would have expected from a player like McCormack. City’s last line of defence had no chance of stopping it.
Opportunities to turn the screw arrived quickly as United pressed forward with their tails up. McCormack tested Murphy with an effort towards the near post and Richard Keogh turned a header from Andy Keogh behind amid strong suspicions of handball.
O’Dea, having banked his first Championship goal, threatened another when he arrived from nowhere to nod the ball wide and, for most of what remained of the first half, Rachubka was left to observe from a distance, asked to do little more than retrieve the occasional stray pass towards his area. Leeds allowed Coventry little of the ball and no space to work with what possession they had.
Sammy Clingan – for a while a summer transfer target of Grayson’s – drilled a rare opening straight into Rachubka’s hands but United should have scored a second goal before half-time and were amazed to see McCormack pass up the easiest of openings.
Passes
Keogh laid it off to him six yards from goal after the pair exchanged passes on the edge of Coventry’s box but McCormack got under the ball and hooked it high over Murphy’s net.
The Scot wore the perplexed look of a man whose overhead kick against Doncaster won the Football League’s goal-of-the-week vote yesterday morning.
Ultimately, the miss mattered. Coventry made two substitutions at half-time, bringing on Cody McDonald and Gael Bigirimana, and Leeds struggled to maintain their hold on the midfield, giving McDonald more freedom than they had afforded the ineffective Platt.
Snodgrass, whose authority and skill caught the eye from the first whistle, kept Murphy involved by teeing up Danny Pugh for a header which the keeper blocked and then firing an ambitious shot inches wide of a post.
Murphy protected Coventry again when he used his body to divert a Clayton effort over his bar.
Grayson clearly wanted the security of a second goal and he replaced McCormack and Keogh with Luciano Becchio and Mikael Forssell with 20 minutes remaining.
Soon enough the call went out for Vayrynen as, with Coventry seeing more of the ball and McDonald clipping the top of Rachubka’s bar, Grayson attempted to protect what Leeds already had.
His players looked to have reached the winning post but, deep into injury-time, Rachubka failed to gather Christie’s cross and Leeds’ fan Wood buried the rebound. Elland Road had seen it coming and so had Grayson.
