Lucky Ending! Millwall 0 United 1
leedsunited.com
A last minute shot from David Healy deflected in for the only goal of the game gave Leeds a crucial win at the New Den...the first time they have put three back to back wins together in almost three years.
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell counted himself fortunate to only be forced into making the one change following the 2-0 win over Burnley in
midweek. Rob Hulse, Shaun Derry and Liam Miller had all been doubts for the game, but had recovered sufficiently to keep their places, and in the case of Miller, special dispensation was granted by the referee for him to play with a cast on his fractured wrist. Skipper Paul Butler was absent though whilst he served a one match ban. His absence gave Sean Gregan the chance to come in and stake a claim for a more permanent recall to the starting XI.
The Match
David Healy wore an armband in respect of George Best, his fellow Ulsterman who the Leeds striker regarded as one of his big heroes in the game. The game itself, like the East End weather, had a cold start. It wasn't until the 12th minute that anything of real note in the game when Rob Hulse nearly charged down a clearance from the rookie keeper, Colin Doyle, forcing him to mis-kick. Three minutes later though Leeds began a spell of possession which would see them dominate the game without getting the goals to show for it. Working their way around the Millwall penalty area, Healy fed Miller, the midfielder then spread the ball out wide to Hulse on the right and his cross met Eddie Lewis on the left of the penalty area where the USA international saw his shot come back off the post and hit the cornerflag before going out. Two minutes later Healy let fly with a left-footed shot that struck the same post that Lewis did from just inside the area. United were desperately unlucky not to have taken the lead. On 23 minutes Sean Gregan body-checked Hayles as the striker prepared to get past him and ended up picking up his fifth booking of the season. Gregan, only coming into the side in the place of the suspended Paul Butler, now faces a one match ban - ruling out his chances of holding onto his place. Just before the half hour Healy robbed Millwall centre-half Ady Williams and was unlucky that in doing so the ball went just far enough ahead of him for the keeper to come out and save. Shortly afterwards Blake put a ball across the face of the area and neither Healy, Hulse nor Liam Miller were able to get a foot to the ball which Williams cleared behind. Millwall meanwhile had not managed to get a shot off on goal, the furthest upfield they got was when they won a corner on 35 minutes which came to nothing. United suffered a blow eight minutes before the break when Shaun Derry was forced off after the midfielder picked up what looked to be a hamstring injury. Jonathan Douglas came on in his place. Douglas went through on goal just before the break but he was halted by the keeper and his tame effort went wide - any claims for a penalty would not have come to anything with the referee having spotted the offside flag but allowing play to continue after he saw Douglas's shot was going nowhere. At half-time Leeds knew they should have been at least one goal up, if not two.
A minute into the second half and Eddie Lewis was brought down two yards short of the penalty area by fellow American Zak Whitbread in a challenge that earned the on-loan Liverpool man a yellow card. Matthew Kilgallon met Kelly's free-kick but couldn't direct it on goal. Jonathan Douglas became the next Leeds player to earn a suspension when he too collected his fifth booking of the season for a foul on Alan Dunne ten minutes into the half. From the free-kick Millwall had their first chance of the game but wasted the opportunity with their captain Paul Robinson heading wide from six yards out at the back post. Another good chance for Leeds after the hour mark saw Miller cross into the middle of the penalty area and Lewis looked set to break the deadlock but his goalwards header was blocked. Rob Hulse was brought down for a free-kick five yards out from the penalty area and a debate began amongst Blake, Miller and Lewis as to who would take it. Miller won the decision but shot straight into the wall. Liam Miller was then the third Leeds player booked for a foul on Hayles.Hulse then latched onto a good through ball from Healy with 16 minutes left but put his shot wide of the advancing keeper and the goal. An offside flag went up belatedly but Hulse would have normally been expected to have hit the target. Leeds could have lost the game in the last eight minutes when the ball fell to Hayles some 12-yards out, his shot was on target but Neil Sullivan pulled off a great save - really the first time in the match he had been given something serious to save. Two minutes later Rob Hulse appeared to be bundled over inside the area as he chased a free-kick into the box, but no penalty was forthcoming from the referee. The save of the game though came from Millwall keeper Colin Doyle, Kelly's free-kick went loose inside the area and Blake met it with a fierce right footed strike that was heading for the back of the net until Doyle somehow got a hand to the ball to turn it away. The threat from Leeds wasn't over though but came to an embarrassing end when Hulse turned but lost his balance and swung a boot at the ball without making contact. Healy could have won it just into injury time when he hit a low drive goalwards only to see it blocked almost on the line by Rob Hulse! Leeds looked destined to miss out on another chance to record a third straight win but in second minute of injury time the ball broke for Healy on the left of the penalty area and his shot cannoned off the helpless Millwall substitute Ben May past Doyle into the back of the net.It was a huge slice of luck but had Leeds not won this game there would have been an inquest, especially after dominating the first half so much.
leedsunited.com
A last minute shot from David Healy deflected in for the only goal of the game gave Leeds a crucial win at the New Den...the first time they have put three back to back wins together in almost three years.
Pre-Match
United boss Kevin Blackwell counted himself fortunate to only be forced into making the one change following the 2-0 win over Burnley in
midweek. Rob Hulse, Shaun Derry and Liam Miller had all been doubts for the game, but had recovered sufficiently to keep their places, and in the case of Miller, special dispensation was granted by the referee for him to play with a cast on his fractured wrist. Skipper Paul Butler was absent though whilst he served a one match ban. His absence gave Sean Gregan the chance to come in and stake a claim for a more permanent recall to the starting XI.The Match
David Healy wore an armband in respect of George Best, his fellow Ulsterman who the Leeds striker regarded as one of his big heroes in the game. The game itself, like the East End weather, had a cold start. It wasn't until the 12th minute that anything of real note in the game when Rob Hulse nearly charged down a clearance from the rookie keeper, Colin Doyle, forcing him to mis-kick. Three minutes later though Leeds began a spell of possession which would see them dominate the game without getting the goals to show for it. Working their way around the Millwall penalty area, Healy fed Miller, the midfielder then spread the ball out wide to Hulse on the right and his cross met Eddie Lewis on the left of the penalty area where the USA international saw his shot come back off the post and hit the cornerflag before going out. Two minutes later Healy let fly with a left-footed shot that struck the same post that Lewis did from just inside the area. United were desperately unlucky not to have taken the lead. On 23 minutes Sean Gregan body-checked Hayles as the striker prepared to get past him and ended up picking up his fifth booking of the season. Gregan, only coming into the side in the place of the suspended Paul Butler, now faces a one match ban - ruling out his chances of holding onto his place. Just before the half hour Healy robbed Millwall centre-half Ady Williams and was unlucky that in doing so the ball went just far enough ahead of him for the keeper to come out and save. Shortly afterwards Blake put a ball across the face of the area and neither Healy, Hulse nor Liam Miller were able to get a foot to the ball which Williams cleared behind. Millwall meanwhile had not managed to get a shot off on goal, the furthest upfield they got was when they won a corner on 35 minutes which came to nothing. United suffered a blow eight minutes before the break when Shaun Derry was forced off after the midfielder picked up what looked to be a hamstring injury. Jonathan Douglas came on in his place. Douglas went through on goal just before the break but he was halted by the keeper and his tame effort went wide - any claims for a penalty would not have come to anything with the referee having spotted the offside flag but allowing play to continue after he saw Douglas's shot was going nowhere. At half-time Leeds knew they should have been at least one goal up, if not two.
A minute into the second half and Eddie Lewis was brought down two yards short of the penalty area by fellow American Zak Whitbread in a challenge that earned the on-loan Liverpool man a yellow card. Matthew Kilgallon met Kelly's free-kick but couldn't direct it on goal. Jonathan Douglas became the next Leeds player to earn a suspension when he too collected his fifth booking of the season for a foul on Alan Dunne ten minutes into the half. From the free-kick Millwall had their first chance of the game but wasted the opportunity with their captain Paul Robinson heading wide from six yards out at the back post. Another good chance for Leeds after the hour mark saw Miller cross into the middle of the penalty area and Lewis looked set to break the deadlock but his goalwards header was blocked. Rob Hulse was brought down for a free-kick five yards out from the penalty area and a debate began amongst Blake, Miller and Lewis as to who would take it. Miller won the decision but shot straight into the wall. Liam Miller was then the third Leeds player booked for a foul on Hayles.Hulse then latched onto a good through ball from Healy with 16 minutes left but put his shot wide of the advancing keeper and the goal. An offside flag went up belatedly but Hulse would have normally been expected to have hit the target. Leeds could have lost the game in the last eight minutes when the ball fell to Hayles some 12-yards out, his shot was on target but Neil Sullivan pulled off a great save - really the first time in the match he had been given something serious to save. Two minutes later Rob Hulse appeared to be bundled over inside the area as he chased a free-kick into the box, but no penalty was forthcoming from the referee. The save of the game though came from Millwall keeper Colin Doyle, Kelly's free-kick went loose inside the area and Blake met it with a fierce right footed strike that was heading for the back of the net until Doyle somehow got a hand to the ball to turn it away. The threat from Leeds wasn't over though but came to an embarrassing end when Hulse turned but lost his balance and swung a boot at the ball without making contact. Healy could have won it just into injury time when he hit a low drive goalwards only to see it blocked almost on the line by Rob Hulse! Leeds looked destined to miss out on another chance to record a third straight win but in second minute of injury time the ball broke for Healy on the left of the penalty area and his shot cannoned off the helpless Millwall substitute Ben May past Doyle into the back of the net.It was a huge slice of luck but had Leeds not won this game there would have been an inquest, especially after dominating the first half so much.