Hulse hat-trick lifts Leeds but fans continue Bates boycott
Louise Taylor at Elland Road
Thursday September 29, 2005
The Guardian
With Ken Bates using his Chairman's View column in the programme to bemoan Leeds's recent inconsistency, Kevin Blackwell's position might conceivably have been in jeopardy had they lost here. Instead the home manager was left basking in the kudos engendered by Rob Hulse's first-half hat-trick and some exhilarating left-wing play from Eddie Lewis as Leeds emphasised their promotion credentials.
The only shame was that Bates's insistence on raising ticket prices dictated that it was watched by a mere 18,353, Elland Road's lowest league crowd for 16 years, which was arguably one of the reasons why Blackwell body-swerved the post-match press conference.
"I understand it's difficult for some fans and it was a filthy night," said Sam Ellis, Blackwell's assistant. "But I'd sooner give credit to those that do come."
The evening began in frustrating stop-start mode but two midfielders raised the tone. Though Derby's Morten Bisgaard supplied audacious defence-bisecting passes and nearly scored with a curving 20-yard free-kick, Lewis's incursions soon had the visiting right-back Jeff Kenna feeling his age.
Robbie Blake - on for the injured Richard Cresswell - is a fine conjuror of chances and, albeit unintentionally, swiftly cued Hulse up for the opener and the striker redirected his mis-hit shot beyond Lee Camp.
Derby soon fell further behind, Lewis's deep, curling left-wing cross evading Camp and being helped home by Hulse's glancing header. And the forward soon completed his hat-trick, with Lewis again the provider. This time the Californian former sociology student unleashed a 30-yard shot which Camp merely parried into the path of Hulse, who half-volleyed home.
Derby improved sufficiently for the returning Seth Johnson to see enough action to warrant a bout of concerted booing from his former public. Michael Johnson even hassled Sean Gregan to the point where the Leeds defender headed Bisgaard's corner into his own net but the game was already lost.
"I told my players that if we frustrated Leeds there was a strong possibility their crowd would turn against them," reflected Derby's manager Phil Brown. "But we came up against an in-form striker who stuck the three chances he had away and after that it was damage limitation." Nevertheless Bates remains in peril of losing the battle for the hearts and minds of the Leeds fans.
Louise Taylor at Elland Road
Thursday September 29, 2005
The Guardian
With Ken Bates using his Chairman's View column in the programme to bemoan Leeds's recent inconsistency, Kevin Blackwell's position might conceivably have been in jeopardy had they lost here. Instead the home manager was left basking in the kudos engendered by Rob Hulse's first-half hat-trick and some exhilarating left-wing play from Eddie Lewis as Leeds emphasised their promotion credentials.
The only shame was that Bates's insistence on raising ticket prices dictated that it was watched by a mere 18,353, Elland Road's lowest league crowd for 16 years, which was arguably one of the reasons why Blackwell body-swerved the post-match press conference.
"I understand it's difficult for some fans and it was a filthy night," said Sam Ellis, Blackwell's assistant. "But I'd sooner give credit to those that do come."
The evening began in frustrating stop-start mode but two midfielders raised the tone. Though Derby's Morten Bisgaard supplied audacious defence-bisecting passes and nearly scored with a curving 20-yard free-kick, Lewis's incursions soon had the visiting right-back Jeff Kenna feeling his age.
Robbie Blake - on for the injured Richard Cresswell - is a fine conjuror of chances and, albeit unintentionally, swiftly cued Hulse up for the opener and the striker redirected his mis-hit shot beyond Lee Camp.
Derby soon fell further behind, Lewis's deep, curling left-wing cross evading Camp and being helped home by Hulse's glancing header. And the forward soon completed his hat-trick, with Lewis again the provider. This time the Californian former sociology student unleashed a 30-yard shot which Camp merely parried into the path of Hulse, who half-volleyed home.
Derby improved sufficiently for the returning Seth Johnson to see enough action to warrant a bout of concerted booing from his former public. Michael Johnson even hassled Sean Gregan to the point where the Leeds defender headed Bisgaard's corner into his own net but the game was already lost.
"I told my players that if we frustrated Leeds there was a strong possibility their crowd would turn against them," reflected Derby's manager Phil Brown. "But we came up against an in-form striker who stuck the three chances he had away and after that it was damage limitation." Nevertheless Bates remains in peril of losing the battle for the hearts and minds of the Leeds fans.