Leeds United Football Club - Matchreport Leeds United vs Plymouth Argyle
Leeds 2 Plymouth 1
Team news
United boss Kevin Blackwell made just the one change to his side following the 3-2 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Boxing Day.
Midfielder Sean Gregan returns from suspension to replace stand-in Matthew Spring in the centre, which meant Aaron Lennon, who scored on his full league debut on Sunday, kept his place in the starting XI.
The Match
Leeds began the game with all the fresh confidence that their win on Boxing Day had given them, but they quickly found that Plymouth were not going to afford them as much space as Sunderland had, and they were going to have to battle a little harder to break down the visitors.
Brian Deane tried a spectacular overhead kick inside the area in the first minute of the game but in a crowded penalty area his shot was blocked and Plymouth escaped that and another chance for the Whites in the opening minutes of the game.
Sean Gregan had just returned from suspension for this game after picking up five yellow cards, and he was lucky to escape a booking for a foul on Bjarni Gudjonsson early on that gave the visitors a free-kick in a dangerous position. Fortunately nothing came of it.
Neil Sullivan had been given nothing to do until the 20th minute when he safely plucked a deflected shot from David Norris out of the air.
Leeds were looking to make the most of Aaron Lennon's pace and trickery down the flanks, and Frazer Richardson's ball midway though the half appeared to have created just the opening they wanted, but Plymouth centre-back Matthias Doumbe got back and covered well.
Five minutes later Doumbe hooked a flick on goalwards for the visitors but Sullivan held onto the ball with a clean pair of hands.
Just before the half hour mark Leeds made a concerted effort to try and snatch the lead. Brian Deane caused havoc inside the area as he collided with the Plymouth keeper, Lennon couldn't take advantage of the loose ball and then eventually Kelly's cross found David Healy inside the area but the striker lost control and couldn't get a shot away to trouble the visitors goal.
Despite their defensive approach, Plymouth were still able to get in United's penalty area and cause problems. Gary Kelly did well to dispossess Marino Keith with a well timed tackle five minutes before half-time.
Lennon was a delight to watch with the ball at his feet and with just two minutes to go to the break captivated the Elland Road crowd with a display that saw him round one defender and turn another one inside out before a third Plymouth man booted the ball clear into row Z.
Brian Deane had taken a clattering just before half time and Leeds decided not to risk him after the break, bringing Julian Joachim on in his place.
Almost straight from kick-off in the second half Leeds got the breakthrough.
Frazer Richardson forced the Plymouth defence to back off with his attacking run, he played a short pass to Danny Pugh which was knocked on to David Healy and the striker flashed a powerful ball across the face of the area where it was haplessly bundled into his own net by Argyle left-back Peter Gilbert.
Kevin Blackwell had remarked many times before that he would just like a goal to go in off a player's backside or an own goal for once, and he finally had his lucky break.
Leeds almost gave the lead away as easily as they had been earned it a few minutes later when sub David Friio broke into the area but somehow Frazer Richardson wrestled the ball off him and Gudjonsson to clear the danger. Sean Gregan picked up the booking he had looked destined to collect with a foul on Friio.
Plymouth's first booking in the game came on 62 minutes when Paul Connolly sent Lennon clattering to the ground with a clumsy challenge, and from the free-kick David Healy sent his curling shot just a yard the wrong side of the left hand post.
Connolly could have equalised for Plymouth a few minutes later but volleyed his shot wide at the far post.
Leeds looked certain to celebrate their second on 70 minutes when Wright broke clear and beat the keeper, but his shot hit the foot of the left hand post and as has been typical of the season as a whole, it naturally bounced straight back out again.
United continued to press hard for another goal, desperate not to be pegged back at the last like they were a few weeks ago against Millwall, and when Pugh crossed into the centre after a great run down the left, the ball was only just cleared away before it reached Healy on the edge of the six-yard box.
Blackwell made a defensive change just before the end when he took Frazer Richardson off and brought Clarke Carlisle on, his first action since losing his place due to injury four games ago.
United were forced to pull men back themselves in the last few minutes of the game as Plymouth made a late attempt to rescue something from the game, whilst at the other end Healy and Joachim toiled to get the second goal for Leeds.
The killer goal finally came just a minute from the end of normal time when Healy won the ball 35-yards out from goal, spotted the keeper well off his line and guided his strike with lazer precision into the back of the net, comfortably chipping the keeper.
It was just the kind of goal Leeds fans have been longing to see from the Northern Ireland international and more importantly it secured all three points.
Plymouth did give their fans a goal to cheer as they contemplated the 300 mile trip back to Devon, sub Steve Crawford bundling home the ball just before the final whistle went.
Leeds 2 Plymouth 1
Team news
United boss Kevin Blackwell made just the one change to his side following the 3-2 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Boxing Day.
Midfielder Sean Gregan returns from suspension to replace stand-in Matthew Spring in the centre, which meant Aaron Lennon, who scored on his full league debut on Sunday, kept his place in the starting XI.
The Match
Leeds began the game with all the fresh confidence that their win on Boxing Day had given them, but they quickly found that Plymouth were not going to afford them as much space as Sunderland had, and they were going to have to battle a little harder to break down the visitors.
Brian Deane tried a spectacular overhead kick inside the area in the first minute of the game but in a crowded penalty area his shot was blocked and Plymouth escaped that and another chance for the Whites in the opening minutes of the game.
Sean Gregan had just returned from suspension for this game after picking up five yellow cards, and he was lucky to escape a booking for a foul on Bjarni Gudjonsson early on that gave the visitors a free-kick in a dangerous position. Fortunately nothing came of it.
Neil Sullivan had been given nothing to do until the 20th minute when he safely plucked a deflected shot from David Norris out of the air.
Leeds were looking to make the most of Aaron Lennon's pace and trickery down the flanks, and Frazer Richardson's ball midway though the half appeared to have created just the opening they wanted, but Plymouth centre-back Matthias Doumbe got back and covered well.
Five minutes later Doumbe hooked a flick on goalwards for the visitors but Sullivan held onto the ball with a clean pair of hands.
Just before the half hour mark Leeds made a concerted effort to try and snatch the lead. Brian Deane caused havoc inside the area as he collided with the Plymouth keeper, Lennon couldn't take advantage of the loose ball and then eventually Kelly's cross found David Healy inside the area but the striker lost control and couldn't get a shot away to trouble the visitors goal.
Despite their defensive approach, Plymouth were still able to get in United's penalty area and cause problems. Gary Kelly did well to dispossess Marino Keith with a well timed tackle five minutes before half-time.
Lennon was a delight to watch with the ball at his feet and with just two minutes to go to the break captivated the Elland Road crowd with a display that saw him round one defender and turn another one inside out before a third Plymouth man booted the ball clear into row Z.
Brian Deane had taken a clattering just before half time and Leeds decided not to risk him after the break, bringing Julian Joachim on in his place.
Almost straight from kick-off in the second half Leeds got the breakthrough.
Frazer Richardson forced the Plymouth defence to back off with his attacking run, he played a short pass to Danny Pugh which was knocked on to David Healy and the striker flashed a powerful ball across the face of the area where it was haplessly bundled into his own net by Argyle left-back Peter Gilbert.
Kevin Blackwell had remarked many times before that he would just like a goal to go in off a player's backside or an own goal for once, and he finally had his lucky break.
Leeds almost gave the lead away as easily as they had been earned it a few minutes later when sub David Friio broke into the area but somehow Frazer Richardson wrestled the ball off him and Gudjonsson to clear the danger. Sean Gregan picked up the booking he had looked destined to collect with a foul on Friio.
Plymouth's first booking in the game came on 62 minutes when Paul Connolly sent Lennon clattering to the ground with a clumsy challenge, and from the free-kick David Healy sent his curling shot just a yard the wrong side of the left hand post.
Connolly could have equalised for Plymouth a few minutes later but volleyed his shot wide at the far post.
Leeds looked certain to celebrate their second on 70 minutes when Wright broke clear and beat the keeper, but his shot hit the foot of the left hand post and as has been typical of the season as a whole, it naturally bounced straight back out again.
United continued to press hard for another goal, desperate not to be pegged back at the last like they were a few weeks ago against Millwall, and when Pugh crossed into the centre after a great run down the left, the ball was only just cleared away before it reached Healy on the edge of the six-yard box.
Blackwell made a defensive change just before the end when he took Frazer Richardson off and brought Clarke Carlisle on, his first action since losing his place due to injury four games ago.
United were forced to pull men back themselves in the last few minutes of the game as Plymouth made a late attempt to rescue something from the game, whilst at the other end Healy and Joachim toiled to get the second goal for Leeds.
The killer goal finally came just a minute from the end of normal time when Healy won the ball 35-yards out from goal, spotted the keeper well off his line and guided his strike with lazer precision into the back of the net, comfortably chipping the keeper.
It was just the kind of goal Leeds fans have been longing to see from the Northern Ireland international and more importantly it secured all three points.
Plymouth did give their fans a goal to cheer as they contemplated the 300 mile trip back to Devon, sub Steve Crawford bundling home the ball just before the final whistle went.