Leeds 1-0 Bournemouth: Luke Murphy's first-half stunner halts Cherries progress at the top of the Championship
Mail 20/1/15
By RICHARD GIBSON
Bournemouth's Elland Road hoodoo continued as 10-man Leeds dented their promotion hopes through Luke Murphy's spectacular strike.
But Eddie Howe's Championship leaders had only themselves to blame after substitute Yann Kermorgant wasted an opportunity for a 86th-minute equaliser after blasting his penalty against the crossbar.
'The penalty summed up our night in front of goal and it was not like us,' said Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe.
Bournemouth were awarded the spot-kick after referee Oliver Langford dismissed Giuseppe Bellusci for hauling down Callum Wilson as he raced into the penalty area.
Moments earlier Marc Pugh had also struck the woodwork as the visitors made it seven defeats in as many visits to this ground.
During an even opening period, Leeds midfielder Murphy thrashed in from 20 yards and Bournemouth, who began the night top of the Championship with a three-point buffer to those outside the automatic promotion places, could not muster an equaliser.
Bournemouth had not previously lost on their travels since September at Derby, a sequence of eight wins and a draw preceding a trip to one of their least favourite grounds.
Despite carving out some glorious chances against their relegation-threatened hosts, however, they failed to continue that rich run of form.
Wilson's pace offered a constant threat on the break – three times he got beyond the home backline but failed to apply a finishing touch – while his strike partner Brett Pitman had the ball in the net shortly after Leeds went ahead only for an offside flag to cancel his opportunistic effort out.
'I had a gut feeling at the time that it was a tough call for us. There seemed to be a defender between Brett and the goal and if that was the case I will be bitterly disappointed,' Howe added.
Equally contentious was the late penalty and Leeds manager Neil Redfearn – whose relegation-threatened team held on for a surprise league double – said: 'It seems to be a standing order for us – a bad refereeing decision. It's about three yards outside the box.'
In front of their lowest home Championship crowd of the season, Redfearn's team went ahead in the 36th minute when Sam Byram and Rodolph Austin combined on the right flank to feed Murphy, who followed his late equaliser against Birmingham at the weekend, by arrowing a left-footed drive beyond the despairing grasp of Artur Boruc and into the top corner.
Leeds, winless in eight matches and reeling from the news that owner Massimo Cellino must resign from the board on Wednesday and not have any influence on club affairs until April 10 after he lost his Football League appeal, shrugged off their troubles and rode their luck to complete a surprise double over the division's top team.
'I spoke to Massimo yesterday and he basically said that nothing changes. It's still his football club. Someone else will sign the cheques but it's business as usual,' Redfearn said.
Redfearn had overseen a surprise victory on the south coast during a caretaker spell in charge earlier this season.
Wilson was guilty of profligacy twice more at the start of the second period after his speed off the mark took him past the Leeds defenders – an indecisive prod across the face of goal followed by an inaccurate shot.
But if there were any doubts it was to be a rare night of cheer for Leeds they were dispelled with the late drama.
By RICHARD GIBSON
Bournemouth's Elland Road hoodoo continued as 10-man Leeds dented their promotion hopes through Luke Murphy's spectacular strike.
But Eddie Howe's Championship leaders had only themselves to blame after substitute Yann Kermorgant wasted an opportunity for a 86th-minute equaliser after blasting his penalty against the crossbar.
'The penalty summed up our night in front of goal and it was not like us,' said Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe.
Bournemouth were awarded the spot-kick after referee Oliver Langford dismissed Giuseppe Bellusci for hauling down Callum Wilson as he raced into the penalty area.
Moments earlier Marc Pugh had also struck the woodwork as the visitors made it seven defeats in as many visits to this ground.
During an even opening period, Leeds midfielder Murphy thrashed in from 20 yards and Bournemouth, who began the night top of the Championship with a three-point buffer to those outside the automatic promotion places, could not muster an equaliser.
Bournemouth had not previously lost on their travels since September at Derby, a sequence of eight wins and a draw preceding a trip to one of their least favourite grounds.
Despite carving out some glorious chances against their relegation-threatened hosts, however, they failed to continue that rich run of form.
Wilson's pace offered a constant threat on the break – three times he got beyond the home backline but failed to apply a finishing touch – while his strike partner Brett Pitman had the ball in the net shortly after Leeds went ahead only for an offside flag to cancel his opportunistic effort out.
'I had a gut feeling at the time that it was a tough call for us. There seemed to be a defender between Brett and the goal and if that was the case I will be bitterly disappointed,' Howe added.
Equally contentious was the late penalty and Leeds manager Neil Redfearn – whose relegation-threatened team held on for a surprise league double – said: 'It seems to be a standing order for us – a bad refereeing decision. It's about three yards outside the box.'
In front of their lowest home Championship crowd of the season, Redfearn's team went ahead in the 36th minute when Sam Byram and Rodolph Austin combined on the right flank to feed Murphy, who followed his late equaliser against Birmingham at the weekend, by arrowing a left-footed drive beyond the despairing grasp of Artur Boruc and into the top corner.
Leeds, winless in eight matches and reeling from the news that owner Massimo Cellino must resign from the board on Wednesday and not have any influence on club affairs until April 10 after he lost his Football League appeal, shrugged off their troubles and rode their luck to complete a surprise double over the division's top team.
'I spoke to Massimo yesterday and he basically said that nothing changes. It's still his football club. Someone else will sign the cheques but it's business as usual,' Redfearn said.
Redfearn had overseen a surprise victory on the south coast during a caretaker spell in charge earlier this season.
Wilson was guilty of profligacy twice more at the start of the second period after his speed off the mark took him past the Leeds defenders – an indecisive prod across the face of goal followed by an inaccurate shot.
But if there were any doubts it was to be a rare night of cheer for Leeds they were dispelled with the late drama.
