people.co.uk - FOOTBALL: END ARE BROUGHT TO HEAL
FOOTBALL: END ARE BROUGHT TO HEAL
Preston 2 Leeds 4
Steve Bott
DAVID HEALY grabbed the goal glory on a spectacular return to Deepdale, but Leeds United had plenty more heroes in a much-needed victory.
With the Championship relegation zone far too close for comfort at kick-off, the troubled Elland Road side came up with a vital, nay sparkling win, going 3-0 up by half time and surviving a mini-revival by Preston in the second half to run out impressive and deserved victors.
Healy grabbed the spoils Ð and a late booking for time-wasting Ð with two goals but this game was always going to be about his, and, to a lesser extent, Sean GreganÕs return to their former stamping ground.
Gregan stole Irish striker HealyÕs thunder briefly when the former Preston skipper featured in an early incident.
North End hitman Richard Cresswell left Gregan writhing in agony on the deck after a challenge.
Good, honest fodder for the tap room afterwards, but there was on-field action of a more straightforward nature before that when former Manchester United defender Danny Pugh blocked Graham AlexanderÕs close-range shot in the second-minute.
Criticism
Quite a turnaround for Pugh as he has been fairly active at the other end of the park recently.
Going into this game he was LeedsÕ top scorer with six goals Ð admittedly aided by spells on the left of midfield.
A man steeped in goals and experience got things rolling in the 12th minute.
Much-travelled striker Brian Deane came up with the perfect reply to recent criticism when he climbed above Claude Davis on the far post to head in Jermaine WrightÕs corner. Just three minutes later Healy hit centre stage. Well, it was more like a walk-on part really but the main thing is he put Leeds 2-0 up against his old team-mates inside a quarter of an hour.
Preston skipper Chris Lucketti blocked a Wright shot in the box, it fell nicely for Healy and he tucked a smart shot past Gavin Ward in the home goal.
Howler
Leeds, desperately in need of a lift, had got it in no uncertain terms. They ruled the roost for the rest of the half, so much so that some Preston fans were heading for the exits well before the break.
Deane kept up the good work and should have made it 3-0 when he headed a Wright cross over the bar.
Sullivan got away with a real howler in the 32nd minute. His attempted hoofed clearance hit Preston striker Andy Smith smack in the middle of his back and the rebound went wide of the near post.
Two minutes before the interval Healy added his second. Once again midfield ace Wright, at the heart of so many Leeds moves, hit a superb 45-yard pass to put Healy in. He then held off DavisÕs challenge to fire in.
Cresswell pulled a goal back from close range after Paul McKenna and Dickson Etuhu, unwittingly on the latterÕs part, set Cresswell up on the edge of the six-yard box.
Davis tried to further boost those comeback hopes when he went down in the Leeds box on the hour, only to collect a booking from referee Clive Penton for diving.
McKennaÕs 68th minute run and shot from the right maintained PrestonÕs big push, but Sullivan got right behind the shot.
Preston were all washed up three minutes later when midfielder Simon Walton gleefully smashed the ball home courtesy of a Deane knock down.
CresswellÕs 82nd minute tap-in from an Etuhu cross took Preston closer Ð but not close enough.
PRESTON: Ward 6 Ð Mawene 5 (OÕNeil, 45 mins, 6), Lucketti 5, Davis 5, Curtis 6 Ð *ALEXANDER 7, Etuhu 6, McKenna 6, Lewis 5 Ð Smith 5 (Daley, 45 mins, 6), Cresswell 6.
LEEDS: Sullivan 7 Ð Kelly 7, Carlisle 7, Butler 8, Pugh 7 Ð Oster 7 (Richardson, 83 mins), *WRIGHT 9, Gregan 7, Walton 7 Ð Deane 8, Healy 8. Ref: C Penton 7.
FOOTBALL: END ARE BROUGHT TO HEAL
Preston 2 Leeds 4
Steve Bott
DAVID HEALY grabbed the goal glory on a spectacular return to Deepdale, but Leeds United had plenty more heroes in a much-needed victory.
With the Championship relegation zone far too close for comfort at kick-off, the troubled Elland Road side came up with a vital, nay sparkling win, going 3-0 up by half time and surviving a mini-revival by Preston in the second half to run out impressive and deserved victors.
Healy grabbed the spoils Ð and a late booking for time-wasting Ð with two goals but this game was always going to be about his, and, to a lesser extent, Sean GreganÕs return to their former stamping ground.
Gregan stole Irish striker HealyÕs thunder briefly when the former Preston skipper featured in an early incident.
North End hitman Richard Cresswell left Gregan writhing in agony on the deck after a challenge.
Good, honest fodder for the tap room afterwards, but there was on-field action of a more straightforward nature before that when former Manchester United defender Danny Pugh blocked Graham AlexanderÕs close-range shot in the second-minute.
Criticism
Quite a turnaround for Pugh as he has been fairly active at the other end of the park recently.
Going into this game he was LeedsÕ top scorer with six goals Ð admittedly aided by spells on the left of midfield.
A man steeped in goals and experience got things rolling in the 12th minute.
Much-travelled striker Brian Deane came up with the perfect reply to recent criticism when he climbed above Claude Davis on the far post to head in Jermaine WrightÕs corner. Just three minutes later Healy hit centre stage. Well, it was more like a walk-on part really but the main thing is he put Leeds 2-0 up against his old team-mates inside a quarter of an hour.
Preston skipper Chris Lucketti blocked a Wright shot in the box, it fell nicely for Healy and he tucked a smart shot past Gavin Ward in the home goal.
Howler
Leeds, desperately in need of a lift, had got it in no uncertain terms. They ruled the roost for the rest of the half, so much so that some Preston fans were heading for the exits well before the break.
Deane kept up the good work and should have made it 3-0 when he headed a Wright cross over the bar.
Sullivan got away with a real howler in the 32nd minute. His attempted hoofed clearance hit Preston striker Andy Smith smack in the middle of his back and the rebound went wide of the near post.
Two minutes before the interval Healy added his second. Once again midfield ace Wright, at the heart of so many Leeds moves, hit a superb 45-yard pass to put Healy in. He then held off DavisÕs challenge to fire in.
Cresswell pulled a goal back from close range after Paul McKenna and Dickson Etuhu, unwittingly on the latterÕs part, set Cresswell up on the edge of the six-yard box.
Davis tried to further boost those comeback hopes when he went down in the Leeds box on the hour, only to collect a booking from referee Clive Penton for diving.
McKennaÕs 68th minute run and shot from the right maintained PrestonÕs big push, but Sullivan got right behind the shot.
Preston were all washed up three minutes later when midfielder Simon Walton gleefully smashed the ball home courtesy of a Deane knock down.
CresswellÕs 82nd minute tap-in from an Etuhu cross took Preston closer Ð but not close enough.
PRESTON: Ward 6 Ð Mawene 5 (OÕNeil, 45 mins, 6), Lucketti 5, Davis 5, Curtis 6 Ð *ALEXANDER 7, Etuhu 6, McKenna 6, Lewis 5 Ð Smith 5 (Daley, 45 mins, 6), Cresswell 6.
LEEDS: Sullivan 7 Ð Kelly 7, Carlisle 7, Butler 8, Pugh 7 Ð Oster 7 (Richardson, 83 mins), *WRIGHT 9, Gregan 7, Walton 7 Ð Deane 8, Healy 8. Ref: C Penton 7.