Telegraph | Sport | Wigan embarrass Leeds: "Wigan embarrass Leeds
By Louise Taylor at the JJB Stadium
(Filed: 20/02/2005)
Wigan (1) 3 Leeds (0) 0
Police on duty at the JJB Stadium donned riot gear yesterday but while the generally docile behaviour of the visiting supporters made their helmets and visors look slightly ridiculous, the Leeds players could certainly have done with similar protection.
Wigan's quest for automatic promotion was bolstered as they pulverised their guests from across the Pennines whose own play-off pretensions seemed distinctly fanciful. Goodness knows what Ken Bates, the new Leeds chairman, made of his team's ultra laconic performance on a day when there was reportedly a half-time altercation involving Neil Sullivan and Jermaine Wright in the away dressing room.
Michael Gray, the left back Leeds have borrowed from Blackburn, spent most of his career with Sunderland and remains a fan of his home-town club. Such enduring affection for one of Wigan's principal promotion rivals, will only have exacerbated the damage to his pride inflicted by Gary Teale, who all too easily sashayed beyond Gray and on down Wigan's right before crossing to Nathan Ellington. All that remained was for Paul Jewell's leading scorer to stab home his 19th goal of the season from close range.
Teale soon had Sullivan sprawling to save his shot struck after cutting in from the flank while a similar incursion from the left on Lee McCulloch's part concluded with a shot curled fractionally off target.
Stretched to the limit by Wigan's exhilarating use of width, Leeds barely threatened John Filan's goal during the most one-sided of opening periods in which it took Kevin Blackwell's side 44 minutes to win their first corner.
Meanwhile, the visiting penalty area was dominated by Ellington and Jason Roberts, the latter's amalgam of strength and skill as he regularly turned Paul Butler, highlighting the lack of pace in Blackwell's backline.
Roberts saw a `goal' disallowed for offside after his connection with yet another Teale cross and it was no surprise to see Sullivan and Wright exchanging angry words as they headed off for half-time.
They did not do the cause much good as 10 minutes into the second period, Wigan doubled their lead, McCulloch's header from Jimmy Bullard's corner being helped on its way past Sullivan by Clarke Carlisle.
Roberts was unlucky to see a shot rebound off a post before Alan Mahon's wonderfully opportunistic 30-yard strike made it three after a poor defensive clearance.
By Louise Taylor at the JJB Stadium
(Filed: 20/02/2005)
Wigan (1) 3 Leeds (0) 0
Police on duty at the JJB Stadium donned riot gear yesterday but while the generally docile behaviour of the visiting supporters made their helmets and visors look slightly ridiculous, the Leeds players could certainly have done with similar protection.
Wigan's quest for automatic promotion was bolstered as they pulverised their guests from across the Pennines whose own play-off pretensions seemed distinctly fanciful. Goodness knows what Ken Bates, the new Leeds chairman, made of his team's ultra laconic performance on a day when there was reportedly a half-time altercation involving Neil Sullivan and Jermaine Wright in the away dressing room.
Michael Gray, the left back Leeds have borrowed from Blackburn, spent most of his career with Sunderland and remains a fan of his home-town club. Such enduring affection for one of Wigan's principal promotion rivals, will only have exacerbated the damage to his pride inflicted by Gary Teale, who all too easily sashayed beyond Gray and on down Wigan's right before crossing to Nathan Ellington. All that remained was for Paul Jewell's leading scorer to stab home his 19th goal of the season from close range.
Teale soon had Sullivan sprawling to save his shot struck after cutting in from the flank while a similar incursion from the left on Lee McCulloch's part concluded with a shot curled fractionally off target.
Stretched to the limit by Wigan's exhilarating use of width, Leeds barely threatened John Filan's goal during the most one-sided of opening periods in which it took Kevin Blackwell's side 44 minutes to win their first corner.
Meanwhile, the visiting penalty area was dominated by Ellington and Jason Roberts, the latter's amalgam of strength and skill as he regularly turned Paul Butler, highlighting the lack of pace in Blackwell's backline.
Roberts saw a `goal' disallowed for offside after his connection with yet another Teale cross and it was no surprise to see Sullivan and Wright exchanging angry words as they headed off for half-time.
They did not do the cause much good as 10 minutes into the second period, Wigan doubled their lead, McCulloch's header from Jimmy Bullard's corner being helped on its way past Sullivan by Clarke Carlisle.
Roberts was unlucky to see a shot rebound off a post before Alan Mahon's wonderfully opportunistic 30-yard strike made it three after a poor defensive clearance.