Merry Christmas after all: United 3 Coventry 1
leedsunited.com
An action packed affair at Elland Road saw Leeds return to winning ways thanks to goals from Jonathan Douglas, Robbie Blake and Richard Cresswell - his first league goal for the club. Three points made for the perfect present for Kevin Blackwell's men.
Pre-Match
Manager Kevin Blackwell was forced to reshuffle his pack again after a rash of suspensions ruled Liam Miller and Simon Walton out.
Gary Kelly did return from his one match ban though to take up his position at right-back in place of Walton, whilst Miller's absence saw another loan signing, Blackburn's Jonathan Douglas, return to the starting line up for the first time in seven games.
Shaun Derry had been a pre-match doubt after going down with a virus but he was able to shake it off in time to keep his place in midfield, whilst Rob Hulse recovered sufficiently from his hip problem to take his place on the bench.
The Match
The biggest crowd of the season so far, 24,291, turned out at Elland Road to see if Leeds would deliver a few late presents in the form of three more points.
Coventry were the first to threaten and hit the woodwork in the seventh minute when Leeds were showing a bit too too much festive goodwill to the visitors.
They escaped when Richard Duffy's left wing cross was met on the run by Dele Adebola and the big striker's header had the beating of Neil Sullivan in the Whites goal but not his left hand post.
Leed had their own good chance straight away though and David Healy will have wished to have done better when he headed Blake's cross across the face of goal but wide of the target.
United went close again just before the quarter hour mark after Blake's pass was cut out but inadvertantly knocked towards the Coventry goal where it was a race between Richard Cresswell and Sky Blues keeper Martin Fulop to get to the ball. It was the keeper who won, just getting down in time to smother the shot.
And the Whites went even closer seconds later when a low ball to the edge of the area was flicked goalwards by Douglas and was just inches the wrong side of the post.
Kevin Blackwell has spent a long time instilling confidence in his defence to have a pop at goal when the opportunity presents itself, and a bit more luck and left-back Dan Harding would have had his first Leeds United goal. His goalbound shot took a deflection but the loose ball nearly fell for Healy but the Ulsterman just couldn't turn in time to get the shot away.
Shaun Derry was the first player booked when he caught veteran striker Don Hutchison. Hutchison, who had already made one visit to Elland Road this season with former club Millwall, then went in the referee's notebook himself for a foul on Cresswell.
Leeds had been knocking on the door for a long time and eventually Coventry let them in as they took the lead with just over ten minutes to go to half-time.
It was a simple goal that owed as much to some absent Coventry defending as it did a good finish from Jonathan Douglas.
The ball was crossed in from the left wing by Healy, Cresswell managed to climb high for the header and knocked it down where Douglas volleyed it home from seven yards out.
Coventry were not here just to provide festive cheer, they had a cutting edge to them and twice came close with some excellent long range shots.
The first was a 25-yard drive from Gary McSheffrey that forced Sullivan to turn the ball behind for a corner, then Andy Morrell hit a rasping shot from ten yards further that came back off the post. Coventry hit the woodwork for a third time through Whing from a corner and they were getting steadily closer to an equaliser.
Inbetween the Coventry chances the game stumbled as the referee seemed intent on stealing the limelight. McSheffrey was booked, Sullivan followed for apparently time wasting and a few more escaped with a ticking off.
At half-time this game was still there to be won, even with Leeds having the goal advantage.
Coventry kicked-off the second half and picked up where they had left off in the first but threatening Sullivan's goal again. They hit the post once more with Duffy's second long range drive.
Having tried their luck all game with some speculative shooting - and close all the same - it perhaps shouldn't have been too much of a surprise when they did equalise with a long range shot.
But the manner of the goal did send a shockwave around Elland Road and it was almost disbelief that Don Hutchison should attempt to score from 40-yards out by the left hand touchline. Yet score he did as the ball flew over Sullivan and found the far top corner.
The visitors celebrations had barely calmed down though when Leeds put their noses in front again with a far more orthodox goal. It was might not have been as spectacular but it was well worked and couldn't have come at a better time as Healy pulled the ball back across the face of goal and Blake 10 yards out smashed it home into the roof of the net.
Leeds wrapped up the points with ten minutes left when space opened up in the Coventry defence for them and Blake took the ball forward before releasing Cresswell and the striker did everything right as he held off his man and planted a low drive into the far corner.
It was Cresswell's first Elland Road goal and it came as a huge relief to the former Preston man, back from two and a half month's out with a knee injury.
Robbie Blake went off to a standing ovation and it was good to see his replacement, Rob Hulse, back in action after his own injury doubts.
This game had everything in it and the drama wasn't over when the Sky Blues were handed a life-line with eight minutes remaining. Butler conceded a penalty by hauling down Michael Doyle inside the area after the midfielder had just slipped past him. McSheffrey stepped up to take it and a deafening noise grew up from the Kop - it worked perfectly as the striker blasted his shot onto the crossbar! That was really Coventry's last chance to get back into the game and Leeds knew at that point that the points were in the back, even as Kilgallon picked up a late booking as he brought Whing's surging run to a halt some five yards short of the penalty area. Cresswell could have made it 4-1 before the end but three quality goals for Leeds were more than good enough as the crowd left satisfied with their Boxing Day entertainment.
leedsunited.com
An action packed affair at Elland Road saw Leeds return to winning ways thanks to goals from Jonathan Douglas, Robbie Blake and Richard Cresswell - his first league goal for the club. Three points made for the perfect present for Kevin Blackwell's men.
Pre-Match
Manager Kevin Blackwell was forced to reshuffle his pack again after a rash of suspensions ruled Liam Miller and Simon Walton out.
Gary Kelly did return from his one match ban though to take up his position at right-back in place of Walton, whilst Miller's absence saw another loan signing, Blackburn's Jonathan Douglas, return to the starting line up for the first time in seven games.
Shaun Derry had been a pre-match doubt after going down with a virus but he was able to shake it off in time to keep his place in midfield, whilst Rob Hulse recovered sufficiently from his hip problem to take his place on the bench.
The Match
The biggest crowd of the season so far, 24,291, turned out at Elland Road to see if Leeds would deliver a few late presents in the form of three more points.
Coventry were the first to threaten and hit the woodwork in the seventh minute when Leeds were showing a bit too too much festive goodwill to the visitors.
They escaped when Richard Duffy's left wing cross was met on the run by Dele Adebola and the big striker's header had the beating of Neil Sullivan in the Whites goal but not his left hand post.
Leed had their own good chance straight away though and David Healy will have wished to have done better when he headed Blake's cross across the face of goal but wide of the target.
United went close again just before the quarter hour mark after Blake's pass was cut out but inadvertantly knocked towards the Coventry goal where it was a race between Richard Cresswell and Sky Blues keeper Martin Fulop to get to the ball. It was the keeper who won, just getting down in time to smother the shot.
And the Whites went even closer seconds later when a low ball to the edge of the area was flicked goalwards by Douglas and was just inches the wrong side of the post.
Kevin Blackwell has spent a long time instilling confidence in his defence to have a pop at goal when the opportunity presents itself, and a bit more luck and left-back Dan Harding would have had his first Leeds United goal. His goalbound shot took a deflection but the loose ball nearly fell for Healy but the Ulsterman just couldn't turn in time to get the shot away.
Shaun Derry was the first player booked when he caught veteran striker Don Hutchison. Hutchison, who had already made one visit to Elland Road this season with former club Millwall, then went in the referee's notebook himself for a foul on Cresswell.
Leeds had been knocking on the door for a long time and eventually Coventry let them in as they took the lead with just over ten minutes to go to half-time.
It was a simple goal that owed as much to some absent Coventry defending as it did a good finish from Jonathan Douglas.
The ball was crossed in from the left wing by Healy, Cresswell managed to climb high for the header and knocked it down where Douglas volleyed it home from seven yards out.
Coventry were not here just to provide festive cheer, they had a cutting edge to them and twice came close with some excellent long range shots.
The first was a 25-yard drive from Gary McSheffrey that forced Sullivan to turn the ball behind for a corner, then Andy Morrell hit a rasping shot from ten yards further that came back off the post. Coventry hit the woodwork for a third time through Whing from a corner and they were getting steadily closer to an equaliser.
Inbetween the Coventry chances the game stumbled as the referee seemed intent on stealing the limelight. McSheffrey was booked, Sullivan followed for apparently time wasting and a few more escaped with a ticking off.
At half-time this game was still there to be won, even with Leeds having the goal advantage.
Coventry kicked-off the second half and picked up where they had left off in the first but threatening Sullivan's goal again. They hit the post once more with Duffy's second long range drive.
Having tried their luck all game with some speculative shooting - and close all the same - it perhaps shouldn't have been too much of a surprise when they did equalise with a long range shot.
But the manner of the goal did send a shockwave around Elland Road and it was almost disbelief that Don Hutchison should attempt to score from 40-yards out by the left hand touchline. Yet score he did as the ball flew over Sullivan and found the far top corner.
The visitors celebrations had barely calmed down though when Leeds put their noses in front again with a far more orthodox goal. It was might not have been as spectacular but it was well worked and couldn't have come at a better time as Healy pulled the ball back across the face of goal and Blake 10 yards out smashed it home into the roof of the net.
Leeds wrapped up the points with ten minutes left when space opened up in the Coventry defence for them and Blake took the ball forward before releasing Cresswell and the striker did everything right as he held off his man and planted a low drive into the far corner.
It was Cresswell's first Elland Road goal and it came as a huge relief to the former Preston man, back from two and a half month's out with a knee injury.
Robbie Blake went off to a standing ovation and it was good to see his replacement, Rob Hulse, back in action after his own injury doubts.
This game had everything in it and the drama wasn't over when the Sky Blues were handed a life-line with eight minutes remaining. Butler conceded a penalty by hauling down Michael Doyle inside the area after the midfielder had just slipped past him. McSheffrey stepped up to take it and a deafening noise grew up from the Kop - it worked perfectly as the striker blasted his shot onto the crossbar! That was really Coventry's last chance to get back into the game and Leeds knew at that point that the points were in the back, even as Kilgallon picked up a late booking as he brought Whing's surging run to a halt some five yards short of the penalty area. Cresswell could have made it 4-1 before the end but three quality goals for Leeds were more than good enough as the crowd left satisfied with their Boxing Day entertainment.