Mail 6/11/11
Leicester 0 Leeds 1: Clayton gives United the edge over managerless Foxes
Adam Clayton's second-half wonder strike helped Leeds banish the memories of their midweek defeat to Blackpool and give managerless Leicester another headache heading into the international break.
Leeds conceded five at home for just the second time in their history in losing to the Seasiders on Wednesday and would have probably taken a morale-boosting 0-0 draw here were it to have been offered to them before kick-off.
But when they became the first of the sides to take a tepid game by the scruff of its neck with Clayton's 25-yard curler with 69 minutes gone, a maximum-point haul was a reality and their notoriously fragile defence held out to secure a first win over Leicester in nine attempts.
They were rarely tested by Leicester, though, who did not force debutant goalkeeper Alex McCarthy into a meaningful save all afternoon.
A consequence of that was a second loss in three games for caretaker managers Jon Rudkin and Mike Stowell and, although the club were today remaining tight-lipped over an approach for Hull's Nigel Pearson, a permanent successor to Sven-Goran Eriksson will surely be in place by the time City face Crystal Palace in a fortnight's time.
Paul Rachubka, whose three calamitous moments underpinned Leeds' midweek nightmare, was dropped in one of just two changes made by manager Simon Grayson, while Rudkin and Stowell stuck with the side that beat Burnley on Tuesday.
McCarthy, who joined from Reading on Friday, could not have wished for an easier debut in truth, and that was the case from the first whistle, with his only real involvement early on being witness to a Steve Howard half-volley looping over his bar.
At the other end, Leeds' strike pair of Andy Keogh and Ross McCormack both succeeded in turning and getting in behind the Leicester defence, but hesitated and were quickly shut down when a run at goal would have been the better option.
McCarthy then turned a cute Andy King cross-shot over his bar, before McCormack wasted the first genuine opening of the game when he drilled over from 12 yards after an Aidy White cross fell to him with 18 minutes gone.
The Scot's failure to score what would have been an 11th of the season did not signal the start of an open period, though, and the game remained tight and was played largely in the midfield.
When opportunities did come, Leicester's Paul Gallagher and Leeds' Danny Pugh dragged them wide.
White was nearly caught out in the first-half injury time when he was robbed by Neil Danns on halfway but, much like Keogh and McCormack before him, Danns could not make the best of the space ahead of him and was crowed out by Jonny Howson.
The pedestrian nature of the game continued into the second half, and a half-hearted scoop from Danns that landed on the top of McCarthy's net was the closest either side went in the opening 15 minutes.
It was going to take something special to break the deadlock and Clayton's strike was just that.
Leeds worked the ball wide to Pugh and, after his scuffed cross was cleared, Clayton curled the loose ball beyond Kasper Schmeichel from 25 yards, giving the former United stopper no chance as he found the top right-hand corner.
Leicester immediately sent on £3million striker Jermaine Beckford, who scored 85 goals in 132 starts during a four-year spell at Leeds, but even his arrival could not help fashion a chance for the home side who left the field to a chorus of boos.
Sporting Life 6/11/11
GRAYSON HAPPY TO BOUNCE BACK
Simon Grayson was not surprised to see his Leeds side respond to their midweek mauling by Blackpool with an impressive 1-0 win at Leicester.
The Whites conceded five home goals for just the second time in their history on Wednesday, but left the Midlands in far better spirits thanks to Adam Clayton's wonder strike midway through the second half.
Such responses have been a hallmark of Grayson's three years in charge of the club - last year they went on a 12-game unbeaten run following a 4-0 home defeat to Cardiff - and the former Leicester skipper fully expected his players to perform in the manner they did.
"I'm delighted. We've been at both ends of the spectrum with a 5-0 thumping and then this," he said.
"Wednesday was difficult to take, but I got the response I expected. It was a really good team performance. We were dogged, resilient and created some good chances. Leicester are a good team and we showed we have a lot of character and spirit amongst the group."
Clayton's 69th-minute winner was the only real moment of quality in what was a tepid game. He curled a 25-yarder beyond the reach of former Leeds keeper Kasper Schmeichel to give his side a first win at Leicester since goals from Mark Viduka and Robbie Fowler secured a 2-0 success nine years ago.
"That performance doesn't show me anything new," Grayson added.
"I see the players every day in training and nine out of 10 times we always seem to respond to disappointments. We had a 4-0 drubbing against Cardiff last season and then went on a long unbeaten run. There was a desire to succeed today."
Grayson had to reshuffle his defence to deal with the fallout of the Blackpool result. Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka was axed following his three calamitous errors - loanee Alex McCarthy debuting - and veteran Andy O'Brien was drafted in for a first appearance since August.
O'Brien was booed off by his own supporters during a Carling Cup tie earlier in the season, and Grayson was pleased to see him impress on his return to the side.
"The two centre-halves (O'Brien and Patrick Kisnorbo) have not played so much over recent weeks and months and they were outstanding," Grayson said.
"Andy O'Brien has been training really well and deserved his place in the team. He is a tough character an has worked hard. I backed him and he backed me with his performance."
Leicester's caretaker manager team of Jon Rudkin and Mike Stowell took charge of the Foxes for a third time, but oversaw a second defeat since the departure of Sven-Goran Eriksson.
City officials were remaining tight-lipped over a reported approach for Hull's Nigel Pearson - the club's title-winning manager in 2009 - but Stowell was not willing to debate who his paymasters were courting, largely because he does not know himself.
"It's been two weeks now and there are two weeks until the next match. Who knows?" said Stowell, who will continue in his role on Monday in preparation for the next game against Crystal Palace in a fortnight's time.
"The owners are doing a good job and interviewing and taking their time. As long as they want us in charge, we'll take charge.
"We haven't spoken to the owners at all, but football continues and there are people to train. We have no idea (what's happening). You would have to ask the owners.
"I'm not getting on the subject of possible managers. Nigel wouldn't want us speculating about him. He's a very good manager and an excellent bloke."
Leicester 0 Leeds 1: Clayton gives United the edge over managerless Foxes
Adam Clayton's second-half wonder strike helped Leeds banish the memories of their midweek defeat to Blackpool and give managerless Leicester another headache heading into the international break.
Leeds conceded five at home for just the second time in their history in losing to the Seasiders on Wednesday and would have probably taken a morale-boosting 0-0 draw here were it to have been offered to them before kick-off.
But when they became the first of the sides to take a tepid game by the scruff of its neck with Clayton's 25-yard curler with 69 minutes gone, a maximum-point haul was a reality and their notoriously fragile defence held out to secure a first win over Leicester in nine attempts.
They were rarely tested by Leicester, though, who did not force debutant goalkeeper Alex McCarthy into a meaningful save all afternoon.
A consequence of that was a second loss in three games for caretaker managers Jon Rudkin and Mike Stowell and, although the club were today remaining tight-lipped over an approach for Hull's Nigel Pearson, a permanent successor to Sven-Goran Eriksson will surely be in place by the time City face Crystal Palace in a fortnight's time.
Paul Rachubka, whose three calamitous moments underpinned Leeds' midweek nightmare, was dropped in one of just two changes made by manager Simon Grayson, while Rudkin and Stowell stuck with the side that beat Burnley on Tuesday.
McCarthy, who joined from Reading on Friday, could not have wished for an easier debut in truth, and that was the case from the first whistle, with his only real involvement early on being witness to a Steve Howard half-volley looping over his bar.
At the other end, Leeds' strike pair of Andy Keogh and Ross McCormack both succeeded in turning and getting in behind the Leicester defence, but hesitated and were quickly shut down when a run at goal would have been the better option.
McCarthy then turned a cute Andy King cross-shot over his bar, before McCormack wasted the first genuine opening of the game when he drilled over from 12 yards after an Aidy White cross fell to him with 18 minutes gone.
The Scot's failure to score what would have been an 11th of the season did not signal the start of an open period, though, and the game remained tight and was played largely in the midfield.
When opportunities did come, Leicester's Paul Gallagher and Leeds' Danny Pugh dragged them wide.
White was nearly caught out in the first-half injury time when he was robbed by Neil Danns on halfway but, much like Keogh and McCormack before him, Danns could not make the best of the space ahead of him and was crowed out by Jonny Howson.
The pedestrian nature of the game continued into the second half, and a half-hearted scoop from Danns that landed on the top of McCarthy's net was the closest either side went in the opening 15 minutes.
It was going to take something special to break the deadlock and Clayton's strike was just that.
Leeds worked the ball wide to Pugh and, after his scuffed cross was cleared, Clayton curled the loose ball beyond Kasper Schmeichel from 25 yards, giving the former United stopper no chance as he found the top right-hand corner.
Leicester immediately sent on £3million striker Jermaine Beckford, who scored 85 goals in 132 starts during a four-year spell at Leeds, but even his arrival could not help fashion a chance for the home side who left the field to a chorus of boos.
Sporting Life 6/11/11
GRAYSON HAPPY TO BOUNCE BACK
Simon Grayson was not surprised to see his Leeds side respond to their midweek mauling by Blackpool with an impressive 1-0 win at Leicester.
The Whites conceded five home goals for just the second time in their history on Wednesday, but left the Midlands in far better spirits thanks to Adam Clayton's wonder strike midway through the second half.
Such responses have been a hallmark of Grayson's three years in charge of the club - last year they went on a 12-game unbeaten run following a 4-0 home defeat to Cardiff - and the former Leicester skipper fully expected his players to perform in the manner they did.
"I'm delighted. We've been at both ends of the spectrum with a 5-0 thumping and then this," he said.
"Wednesday was difficult to take, but I got the response I expected. It was a really good team performance. We were dogged, resilient and created some good chances. Leicester are a good team and we showed we have a lot of character and spirit amongst the group."
Clayton's 69th-minute winner was the only real moment of quality in what was a tepid game. He curled a 25-yarder beyond the reach of former Leeds keeper Kasper Schmeichel to give his side a first win at Leicester since goals from Mark Viduka and Robbie Fowler secured a 2-0 success nine years ago.
"That performance doesn't show me anything new," Grayson added.
"I see the players every day in training and nine out of 10 times we always seem to respond to disappointments. We had a 4-0 drubbing against Cardiff last season and then went on a long unbeaten run. There was a desire to succeed today."
Grayson had to reshuffle his defence to deal with the fallout of the Blackpool result. Goalkeeper Paul Rachubka was axed following his three calamitous errors - loanee Alex McCarthy debuting - and veteran Andy O'Brien was drafted in for a first appearance since August.
O'Brien was booed off by his own supporters during a Carling Cup tie earlier in the season, and Grayson was pleased to see him impress on his return to the side.
"The two centre-halves (O'Brien and Patrick Kisnorbo) have not played so much over recent weeks and months and they were outstanding," Grayson said.
"Andy O'Brien has been training really well and deserved his place in the team. He is a tough character an has worked hard. I backed him and he backed me with his performance."
Leicester's caretaker manager team of Jon Rudkin and Mike Stowell took charge of the Foxes for a third time, but oversaw a second defeat since the departure of Sven-Goran Eriksson.
City officials were remaining tight-lipped over a reported approach for Hull's Nigel Pearson - the club's title-winning manager in 2009 - but Stowell was not willing to debate who his paymasters were courting, largely because he does not know himself.
"It's been two weeks now and there are two weeks until the next match. Who knows?" said Stowell, who will continue in his role on Monday in preparation for the next game against Crystal Palace in a fortnight's time.
"The owners are doing a good job and interviewing and taking their time. As long as they want us in charge, we'll take charge.
"We haven't spoken to the owners at all, but football continues and there are people to train. We have no idea (what's happening). You would have to ask the owners.
"I'm not getting on the subject of possible managers. Nigel wouldn't want us speculating about him. He's a very good manager and an excellent bloke."
