Leeds United Football Club - Matchreport Stoke City vs Leeds United
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell was able to call upon the services of fit again Brian Deane. The 36-year-old missed the previous four games with a shoulder injury and his height upfront was what Leeds lacked most in those games.
Also back in the side was midfielder Sean Gregan, missing from the draw with Cardiff with a bug that had been sweeping through the camp. He lined up in a three man midfield that also contained Danny Pugh and Jermaine Wright.
There were changes too in defence where Clarke Carlisle came in for Matthew Kilgallon. Kilgallon is suffering from an ankle injury which gave Carlisle his first start since completing a one match suspension.
With Scott Carson having completed his move to Liverpool, loan signing Paul Harrison, who made the reverse trip from Anfield, took up his place on the bench.
The Match
Both teams struggled to get into any sort of rhythm in the first quarter of an hour, just a few free-kicks for either side, none of which threatened to bring about the game's first goal.
Thankfully matters improved after that and the game opened up into a more attractive spectacle, even if the home side were having most of the chances.
Kevin Blackwell's first cause for concern came on 16 minutes when a ball was pumped forward for Ade Akinbiyi to chase and despite the striker being tightly marked by Carlisle, he managed to break free of the defender and only Neil Sullivan's quick reactions to the situation prevented Stoke from taking the lead as the keeper came out and cleared the danger on the edge of his area. Akinbiyi was so nearly onto the ball.
Leeds had earlier had most of the possession but without a strike on goal, that changed when Healy set about trying to work an opening for the shot on the edge of the area. When it finally came in the ball took an unfortunate deflection off the heel of Brian Deane and passed the foot of the post by about a yard.
Akinbiyi was proving to be a handful for Carlisle to deal with though and a minute after Healy came close he broke clear of his marker again to be left with just Sullivan to beat. Fortunately his shot was weak and Sullivan made the save look easy.
United had a penalty appeal turned down on 22 minutes when Danny Pugh chased a ball into the box and went over the challenge of Wayne Thomas in the box, but there were no real serious complaints from any Leeds players at the decision.
Straight down the other end and Sullivan pounced on a ball that Akinbiyi had fed into the middle of the penalty area and he took a heavy knock in the process but was alright to carry on after some treatment.
Frazer Richardson had spent a spell on loan at the Britannia Stadium last season and he was perhaps too charitable on his former team-mates as he wasted an opportunity to put a good cross in with four Leeds players waiting patiently in the box, putting the ball well behind instead.
By the end of the half the home side had gained the advantage territorially but there was nothing in their play to suggest they were going to break the deadlock. It had been an utterly forgettable first half for both teams.
Kevin Blackwell made a change at half time, bringing Julian Joachim on and taking Aaron Lennon off in a tactical change.
A Gregan foul gave Stoke an opportunity to tray their luck from a free-kick but it was poorly worked and Julian Joachim was able to break from inside his own half and run a full 60-yards down the right flank with two Stoke defenders struggling to keep pace with him, and for that matter the rest of the United frontline. If he had been able to square the ball he might have found a team-mate in space but instead had to settle for a corner for his hard work.
Just before the hour mark it got a bit nasty when Pugh and Russell got entangled together in a challenge for the ball. When they both got back to their feet went for each other and received a yellow card each for their actions. The booking was Pugh's fifth this season and he now serves a one match ban against Brighton.
A free-kick from Gary Kelly was headed out as far as Joachim on the edge of the centre-circle and his shot back in was easily held by Steve Simonson. It was typical of the game.
Brian Deane was the next United player to be booked for a foul on the former Leicester City defender Gerry Taggart, once the striker's team-mate. A minute later he was replaced by Michael Ricketts, with Blackwell wary that Deane had only just returned from a shoulder injury.
Leeds had been marginally the better side in the second half and had applied more pressure but they could not have expected to be gifted the lead through what was a bizarre own goal.
It came on 71 minutes when David Healy delivered a good cross from the right of penalty area, just a yard off the goal-line, and all appeared to be under control for the home side when it was easily cut out but centre-half Wayne Thomas attempted to clear and only sliced the ball into his own net.
David Healy looked sheepish as his team-mates ran over to celebrate with him for not even he would claim that one.
The task now for Leeds was to hang onto the lead and try and record their first clean sheet in 19 games.
Substitute Carl Asaba threatened to undo Leeds with three minutes left to play but Sullivan was more than equal to his low drive.
Leeds hardly had to 'hang on' with Stoke restricted to long range efforts at the end and as they left the field with the points in the bag, the squad saluted a fantastic following from Leeds who were the liveliest thing about this dull game.
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell was able to call upon the services of fit again Brian Deane. The 36-year-old missed the previous four games with a shoulder injury and his height upfront was what Leeds lacked most in those games.
Also back in the side was midfielder Sean Gregan, missing from the draw with Cardiff with a bug that had been sweeping through the camp. He lined up in a three man midfield that also contained Danny Pugh and Jermaine Wright.
There were changes too in defence where Clarke Carlisle came in for Matthew Kilgallon. Kilgallon is suffering from an ankle injury which gave Carlisle his first start since completing a one match suspension.
With Scott Carson having completed his move to Liverpool, loan signing Paul Harrison, who made the reverse trip from Anfield, took up his place on the bench.
The Match
Both teams struggled to get into any sort of rhythm in the first quarter of an hour, just a few free-kicks for either side, none of which threatened to bring about the game's first goal.
Thankfully matters improved after that and the game opened up into a more attractive spectacle, even if the home side were having most of the chances.
Kevin Blackwell's first cause for concern came on 16 minutes when a ball was pumped forward for Ade Akinbiyi to chase and despite the striker being tightly marked by Carlisle, he managed to break free of the defender and only Neil Sullivan's quick reactions to the situation prevented Stoke from taking the lead as the keeper came out and cleared the danger on the edge of his area. Akinbiyi was so nearly onto the ball.
Leeds had earlier had most of the possession but without a strike on goal, that changed when Healy set about trying to work an opening for the shot on the edge of the area. When it finally came in the ball took an unfortunate deflection off the heel of Brian Deane and passed the foot of the post by about a yard.
Akinbiyi was proving to be a handful for Carlisle to deal with though and a minute after Healy came close he broke clear of his marker again to be left with just Sullivan to beat. Fortunately his shot was weak and Sullivan made the save look easy.
United had a penalty appeal turned down on 22 minutes when Danny Pugh chased a ball into the box and went over the challenge of Wayne Thomas in the box, but there were no real serious complaints from any Leeds players at the decision.
Straight down the other end and Sullivan pounced on a ball that Akinbiyi had fed into the middle of the penalty area and he took a heavy knock in the process but was alright to carry on after some treatment.
Frazer Richardson had spent a spell on loan at the Britannia Stadium last season and he was perhaps too charitable on his former team-mates as he wasted an opportunity to put a good cross in with four Leeds players waiting patiently in the box, putting the ball well behind instead.
By the end of the half the home side had gained the advantage territorially but there was nothing in their play to suggest they were going to break the deadlock. It had been an utterly forgettable first half for both teams.
Kevin Blackwell made a change at half time, bringing Julian Joachim on and taking Aaron Lennon off in a tactical change.
A Gregan foul gave Stoke an opportunity to tray their luck from a free-kick but it was poorly worked and Julian Joachim was able to break from inside his own half and run a full 60-yards down the right flank with two Stoke defenders struggling to keep pace with him, and for that matter the rest of the United frontline. If he had been able to square the ball he might have found a team-mate in space but instead had to settle for a corner for his hard work.
Just before the hour mark it got a bit nasty when Pugh and Russell got entangled together in a challenge for the ball. When they both got back to their feet went for each other and received a yellow card each for their actions. The booking was Pugh's fifth this season and he now serves a one match ban against Brighton.
A free-kick from Gary Kelly was headed out as far as Joachim on the edge of the centre-circle and his shot back in was easily held by Steve Simonson. It was typical of the game.
Brian Deane was the next United player to be booked for a foul on the former Leicester City defender Gerry Taggart, once the striker's team-mate. A minute later he was replaced by Michael Ricketts, with Blackwell wary that Deane had only just returned from a shoulder injury.
Leeds had been marginally the better side in the second half and had applied more pressure but they could not have expected to be gifted the lead through what was a bizarre own goal.
It came on 71 minutes when David Healy delivered a good cross from the right of penalty area, just a yard off the goal-line, and all appeared to be under control for the home side when it was easily cut out but centre-half Wayne Thomas attempted to clear and only sliced the ball into his own net.
David Healy looked sheepish as his team-mates ran over to celebrate with him for not even he would claim that one.
The task now for Leeds was to hang onto the lead and try and record their first clean sheet in 19 games.
Substitute Carl Asaba threatened to undo Leeds with three minutes left to play but Sullivan was more than equal to his low drive.
Leeds hardly had to 'hang on' with Stoke restricted to long range efforts at the end and as they left the field with the points in the bag, the squad saluted a fantastic following from Leeds who were the liveliest thing about this dull game.