Leeds 3 Derby 1
leedsunited.com
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell reacted to the defeat against Ipswich by making one change to his starting line-up.
Gylfi Einarsson was the man who made way with Frazer Richardson coming back into the side
after being left out for the past three league games.
Derby included former United midfielder Seth Johnson - released just over a month ago - who was understandably keen to do well against his former employers.
The Match
United missed a penalty on Saturday against Watford and they should have had an opportunity to make amends after just three minutes.
Richard Cresswell chased a ball knocked forward that the Derby keeper Lee Camp made a rash decision to come out for and completely misjudged. There then ensued a three-way chase for the ball with the keeper, Rams defender Michael Johnson and Cresswell. It ended with Cresswell being clattered to the ground but no penalty was the decision.
Jonathan Douglas had United's first shot on goal but it was easily held by Camp.
Leeds continued to press Derby back, using the two wingers well. It was from a right wing cross that Hulse went up for the ball inside the area, but it wouldn't drop for him and then Cresswell was just crowded out of the shot.
Then a Richardson cross was missed by Cresswell on the edge of the six yard box but fell for Lewis. The USA international had a tight angle to shoot from and did well in the end to get as close as he did with a shot across the face of goal that missed by about a foot. Paul Butler picked up the first yellow card of the eveing for a foul on Stern John midway through the first half.
It was from the free-kick that Derby had their best chance to go infront - but it saw an excellent save from Neil Sullivan. Visgaard played a neat through ball that was latched onto by Paul Peschisolido and the Canadian international must have thought he was about to score until Sullivan arrived to make the block.
Leeds suffered a blow when Cresswell limped off with just 25 minutes gone. The striker had been caught by a Derby defender and was struggling. Robbie Blake was the man who came on in his place and immediately started to cause the opposition problems, sending a header just wide.
Blake played a massive part in the opening goal that came after 31 minutes.
Kelly's cross saw Hulse challenge for the ball and knock it back to Blake who shot goalwards, albeit probably not with enough power to beat Camp, but then Hulse stuck out a boot and just diverted the ball past the keeper.
It was a small slice of luck and perhaps United's fortune had finally turned for the better!
Just after United had been denied another penalty when Butler was pulled back inside the box, Leeds went 2-0 up and were suddenly cruising.
Lewis swung in a great cross towards the near post that Hulse and the keeper went for together but it was the United man who got his head to the ball first. The downwards header crashed into the back of the net to give the striker his fifth goal of the season.
United missed a hat-ful of chances on Saturday but they were certainly making up for it on this night.
Another positive break ended in the third goal of the evening just before half-time.
Eddie Lewis bundled his way through one challenge and then let fly with a fierce drive from 30-yards that Camp could only parry - right into the path of Hulse and the striker was not about to pass up the chance to score his hat-trick.
Hulse still had plenty of work to do to turn the ball in but he finished with a flourish, absolutely hammering the ball into the back of the net.
At half-time, Leeds had the game won.
Unchanged after the break, Leeds kept up the relentless pressure on Derby and came close to making it 4-0 within a minute of the restart.
A foul 20-yards out gave Robbie Blake the chance to go for goal, and from the free-kick his right foot curling shot was destined for the top right hand corner of the goal until the keeper pulled off his best save of the night. Two minutes later Blake beat the offside trap and managed to square the ball across to Hulse before he was clattered. Hulse's chip was just inches over the top.
Derby boss Phil Brown had seen enough and promptly made a triple substitution, with Dean Holdsworth, Adam Bolder and Nonnir Hamdaoui all coming on.
Frazer Richardson was clearly enjoying his return to the side and took great pleasure in tormenting the Derby left-back with some tricky runs down. He was unlucky not to see his final ball in tucked away as Leeds continued to throw men forward.
Leeds will have been disappointed not to have kept a clean sheet though. Derby got a consolation goal with just over 17 minutes left to play when Michael Johnson met Visgaard's corner and sent it goalwards. Sean Gregan got an unfortunate final touch on the ball as it bounced off him and went in.
At least it gave the Derby fans something to shout about as they sang "we're gonna to win 4-3."
They were nearly singing a different tune though as Robbie Blake went clean through on goal, tried to chip the keeper and then went down under the challenge, but instead of being awarded a penalty all he received was a yellow card for diving.
Rob Hulse then went off to a standing ovation with Ian Moore coming on. Sullivan had been rarely troubled during the game but he had to be alert with ten minutes left when Peschisolido got free in the box and hit a well struck shot. Sully though made the save look easy.
Derby continued to press late on and had a few decent chances from free-kicks around the edge of the penalty area, all incidentally won by Seth Johnson who was not enjoying his first return to Elland Road.
Ian Moore had the chance to make it 4-1 right on the stroke of full time but on the stretch he put his shot well over from 20-yards. Still, they were three good goals to win all three points that ensured Leeds went back into the top six. Bonuses all round this week then - especially for Rob Hulse.
leedsunited.com
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell reacted to the defeat against Ipswich by making one change to his starting line-up.
Gylfi Einarsson was the man who made way with Frazer Richardson coming back into the side
after being left out for the past three league games.Derby included former United midfielder Seth Johnson - released just over a month ago - who was understandably keen to do well against his former employers.
The Match
United missed a penalty on Saturday against Watford and they should have had an opportunity to make amends after just three minutes.
Richard Cresswell chased a ball knocked forward that the Derby keeper Lee Camp made a rash decision to come out for and completely misjudged. There then ensued a three-way chase for the ball with the keeper, Rams defender Michael Johnson and Cresswell. It ended with Cresswell being clattered to the ground but no penalty was the decision.
Jonathan Douglas had United's first shot on goal but it was easily held by Camp.
Leeds continued to press Derby back, using the two wingers well. It was from a right wing cross that Hulse went up for the ball inside the area, but it wouldn't drop for him and then Cresswell was just crowded out of the shot.
Then a Richardson cross was missed by Cresswell on the edge of the six yard box but fell for Lewis. The USA international had a tight angle to shoot from and did well in the end to get as close as he did with a shot across the face of goal that missed by about a foot. Paul Butler picked up the first yellow card of the eveing for a foul on Stern John midway through the first half.
It was from the free-kick that Derby had their best chance to go infront - but it saw an excellent save from Neil Sullivan. Visgaard played a neat through ball that was latched onto by Paul Peschisolido and the Canadian international must have thought he was about to score until Sullivan arrived to make the block.
Leeds suffered a blow when Cresswell limped off with just 25 minutes gone. The striker had been caught by a Derby defender and was struggling. Robbie Blake was the man who came on in his place and immediately started to cause the opposition problems, sending a header just wide.
Blake played a massive part in the opening goal that came after 31 minutes.
Kelly's cross saw Hulse challenge for the ball and knock it back to Blake who shot goalwards, albeit probably not with enough power to beat Camp, but then Hulse stuck out a boot and just diverted the ball past the keeper.
It was a small slice of luck and perhaps United's fortune had finally turned for the better!
Just after United had been denied another penalty when Butler was pulled back inside the box, Leeds went 2-0 up and were suddenly cruising.
Lewis swung in a great cross towards the near post that Hulse and the keeper went for together but it was the United man who got his head to the ball first. The downwards header crashed into the back of the net to give the striker his fifth goal of the season.
United missed a hat-ful of chances on Saturday but they were certainly making up for it on this night.
Another positive break ended in the third goal of the evening just before half-time.
Eddie Lewis bundled his way through one challenge and then let fly with a fierce drive from 30-yards that Camp could only parry - right into the path of Hulse and the striker was not about to pass up the chance to score his hat-trick.
Hulse still had plenty of work to do to turn the ball in but he finished with a flourish, absolutely hammering the ball into the back of the net.
At half-time, Leeds had the game won.
Unchanged after the break, Leeds kept up the relentless pressure on Derby and came close to making it 4-0 within a minute of the restart.
A foul 20-yards out gave Robbie Blake the chance to go for goal, and from the free-kick his right foot curling shot was destined for the top right hand corner of the goal until the keeper pulled off his best save of the night. Two minutes later Blake beat the offside trap and managed to square the ball across to Hulse before he was clattered. Hulse's chip was just inches over the top.
Derby boss Phil Brown had seen enough and promptly made a triple substitution, with Dean Holdsworth, Adam Bolder and Nonnir Hamdaoui all coming on.
Frazer Richardson was clearly enjoying his return to the side and took great pleasure in tormenting the Derby left-back with some tricky runs down. He was unlucky not to see his final ball in tucked away as Leeds continued to throw men forward.
Leeds will have been disappointed not to have kept a clean sheet though. Derby got a consolation goal with just over 17 minutes left to play when Michael Johnson met Visgaard's corner and sent it goalwards. Sean Gregan got an unfortunate final touch on the ball as it bounced off him and went in.
At least it gave the Derby fans something to shout about as they sang "we're gonna to win 4-3."
They were nearly singing a different tune though as Robbie Blake went clean through on goal, tried to chip the keeper and then went down under the challenge, but instead of being awarded a penalty all he received was a yellow card for diving.
Rob Hulse then went off to a standing ovation with Ian Moore coming on. Sullivan had been rarely troubled during the game but he had to be alert with ten minutes left when Peschisolido got free in the box and hit a well struck shot. Sully though made the save look easy.
Derby continued to press late on and had a few decent chances from free-kicks around the edge of the penalty area, all incidentally won by Seth Johnson who was not enjoying his first return to Elland Road.
Ian Moore had the chance to make it 4-1 right on the stroke of full time but on the stretch he put his shot well over from 20-yards. Still, they were three good goals to win all three points that ensured Leeds went back into the top six. Bonuses all round this week then - especially for Rob Hulse.
