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BLAKE'S HEAVEN
Nathan: Life is smiles better at United!
By PAUL DEWS
LOAN star Nathan Blake is so happy to be at Elland Road he simply can't stop smiling.
The Leicester striker bagged his first goal for the club during yesterday's 2-1 triumph at Coventry City as Leeds chalked up their third win in four games.
Another superb strike from David Healy secured the points for Kevin Blackwell's side and Blake couldn't hide his delight afterwards.
The Welsh international declared: "I'm so happy I can't stop smiling. I thought the boys were magnificent yesterday.
"We had so many young lads out there but they played like men. It was fantastic to be a part of it and it was fantastic to score.
"Clarke Carlisle went up with a great header and I got it down and tucked it home."
Experienced
The 32-year-old marksman was United's second most experienced player behind goalkeeper Neil Sullivan at Highfield Road.
He said: "It was a young team and we had a disappointing result against Crewe on Saturday – when I thought we deserved to win – but we dominated Coventry.
"They were quite experienced compared to us. But in midfield we showed a lot of legs and bite. We defended really well and the three up front did fantastic.
"David Healy scored a great goal and it was an all-round great performance. I just feel really elated."
Blake insists his day wasn't soured when he booked by referee Nigel Miller for "over celebrating" his first goal in United colours.
The former Wolves striker saw yellow after racing to the away enclosure to hug jubilant supporters.
"That must be a dangerous thing to do," laughed Blake. "I just thought you couldn't take your shirt off.
"I asked the referee why he booked me and he said I was inciting the crowd. Well, they're going to be excited, I mean, I was excited too.
"But that's gone now and I'm just delighted we got the three points."
Elland Road boss Blackwell was also delighted with the team effort and was quick to pay tribute to his young stars.
"It was a good performance," declared the Leeds chief. "If it hadn't have been for Sully, Greges and Nathan we would have been very young, but I thought the lads were magnificent.
"They stuck to the game plan and were very well organised. We kept them penned in for long spells.
"I was disappointed we didn't finish the game off earlier, but we scored two great goals. Both were well constructed and I'm very pleased.
"I enjoyed watching the football at times.
"We got corner after corner, we penned them in and they couldn't get out.
"We were clever with the ball, we got great angles and when you look at the young lads we had out there I couldn't have asked for any more from them.
However, the Leeds boss was also fuming about the decision to book Blake for celebrating his goal and branded the decision as "pathetic".
"The people who run the game in this country want to take all the enjoyment out of it," blasted Blackwell.
Enthusiastic
"You ask any of those fans who came from Leeds, on the last day of their Christmas holidays, what they thought about it.
"He's gone over to them to celebrate and after the season he's had he's going to celebrate and be enthusiastic.
"We want to give our fans something to shout about, but the people who run football nowadays want to take the enjoyment out of it. It's pathetic."
The manager was furious with the performance of referee Nigel Miller and was angry about the two late yellow cards which saw Clarke Carlisle dismissed in the closing stages.
The referee booked four players in the opening 30 minutes of the tame encounter before a double whammy of cards accounted for the Leeds defender.
"If I have a criticism yesterday it was the referee," blasted Blackwell. "He was so picky.
"We said to the fourth official after 10 minutes that if he wasn't careful the game wouldn't finish with 22 players on the pitch.
"We knew that and if you're calling it after 10 minutes then you know you've got a problem.
"It was just silly things. I'm not saying they weren't all bookings, but...
"I know what some referees think, but some of the decisions that have gone against us are just outrageous."
BLAKE'S HEAVEN
Nathan: Life is smiles better at United!
By PAUL DEWS
LOAN star Nathan Blake is so happy to be at Elland Road he simply can't stop smiling.
The Leicester striker bagged his first goal for the club during yesterday's 2-1 triumph at Coventry City as Leeds chalked up their third win in four games.
Another superb strike from David Healy secured the points for Kevin Blackwell's side and Blake couldn't hide his delight afterwards.
The Welsh international declared: "I'm so happy I can't stop smiling. I thought the boys were magnificent yesterday.
"We had so many young lads out there but they played like men. It was fantastic to be a part of it and it was fantastic to score.
"Clarke Carlisle went up with a great header and I got it down and tucked it home."
Experienced
The 32-year-old marksman was United's second most experienced player behind goalkeeper Neil Sullivan at Highfield Road.
He said: "It was a young team and we had a disappointing result against Crewe on Saturday – when I thought we deserved to win – but we dominated Coventry.
"They were quite experienced compared to us. But in midfield we showed a lot of legs and bite. We defended really well and the three up front did fantastic.
"David Healy scored a great goal and it was an all-round great performance. I just feel really elated."
Blake insists his day wasn't soured when he booked by referee Nigel Miller for "over celebrating" his first goal in United colours.
The former Wolves striker saw yellow after racing to the away enclosure to hug jubilant supporters.
"That must be a dangerous thing to do," laughed Blake. "I just thought you couldn't take your shirt off.
"I asked the referee why he booked me and he said I was inciting the crowd. Well, they're going to be excited, I mean, I was excited too.
"But that's gone now and I'm just delighted we got the three points."
Elland Road boss Blackwell was also delighted with the team effort and was quick to pay tribute to his young stars.
"It was a good performance," declared the Leeds chief. "If it hadn't have been for Sully, Greges and Nathan we would have been very young, but I thought the lads were magnificent.
"They stuck to the game plan and were very well organised. We kept them penned in for long spells.
"I was disappointed we didn't finish the game off earlier, but we scored two great goals. Both were well constructed and I'm very pleased.
"I enjoyed watching the football at times.
"We got corner after corner, we penned them in and they couldn't get out.
"We were clever with the ball, we got great angles and when you look at the young lads we had out there I couldn't have asked for any more from them.
However, the Leeds boss was also fuming about the decision to book Blake for celebrating his goal and branded the decision as "pathetic".
"The people who run the game in this country want to take all the enjoyment out of it," blasted Blackwell.
Enthusiastic
"You ask any of those fans who came from Leeds, on the last day of their Christmas holidays, what they thought about it.
"He's gone over to them to celebrate and after the season he's had he's going to celebrate and be enthusiastic.
"We want to give our fans something to shout about, but the people who run football nowadays want to take the enjoyment out of it. It's pathetic."
The manager was furious with the performance of referee Nigel Miller and was angry about the two late yellow cards which saw Clarke Carlisle dismissed in the closing stages.
The referee booked four players in the opening 30 minutes of the tame encounter before a double whammy of cards accounted for the Leeds defender.
"If I have a criticism yesterday it was the referee," blasted Blackwell. "He was so picky.
"We said to the fourth official after 10 minutes that if he wasn't careful the game wouldn't finish with 22 players on the pitch.
"We knew that and if you're calling it after 10 minutes then you know you've got a problem.
"It was just silly things. I'm not saying they weren't all bookings, but...
"I know what some referees think, but some of the decisions that have gone against us are just outrageous."