Healy's the hero in Leeds late show
Bosses clash over spot-kick equalise
By PAUL DEWS
Yorkshire Evening Post
RIVAL bosses Kevin Blackwell and Joe Royle were at odds after a hotly-disputed penalty salvaged Leeds United a point at Ipswich last night.
Supersub David Healy converted an 88th-minute penalty to secure Leeds a 1-1 draw at Portman Road – but the managers were in dispute over the penalty decision that led to the equaliser. Ipswich defender Jason De Vos was
adjudged to have handled under pressure from Leeds striker Rob Hulse, and Healy stepped up to spare United's blushes by bagging his 11th goal of the season. Blackwell said: "We called for a penalty straight away, and the referee gave it straight away. "I thought he handled, but I haven't seen it again so I'm not going to say for sure that Joe is wrong. "You keep telling defenders to keep their hands down. If you raise them in the box you know the possible consequences." But Ipswich boss Royle was defiant: "Firstly it wasn't a corner and then Rob Hulse banged into Jason, which is why his arm went up with the impact. "I saw it three times on the video after the game and there is no doubt. "How the referee saw the handball, but didn't see the foul on Jason De Vos is amazing. He said he didn't see it so there is no more to be said." The entire United side appealed for the handball and penalty hero Healy had no doubts. "It was similar to the one we had against Wigan in the Cup," he said. "I think they felt it was the wrong decision, but we were happy with it. "There were a few shenanigans before I took the penalty, but I knew the keeper would go left, I kept my head over it and did what I didn't do in the shoot-out against Wigan – put it in the corner. "Ipswich are a decent side and a point isn't to be sniffed at. Good sides grind results out and we did that." United midfielder Jonathan Douglas also felt it was a clear penalty and he said: "It was a handball. It was the same as the Wigan penalty, and full credit to Dave because he showed a lot of bottle." The point did little to aid United in their bid to put pressure on closest rivals Sheffield United ahead of their clash with Derby County tonight, but it was enough to take Leeds back above Watford and into third place once again. And Elland Road chief Blackwell was happy enough to head home with another point. "I didn't feel we were on top of our game, but we were still good enough to get a result," he said. "The penalty was the break we needed, but we got what we deserved. Their keeper made two world-class saves from Rob Hulse – the second one was unbelievable. "I thought we looked dominant at times, but it looked as though things just wouldn't drop for us. "We persevered, we kept going, and in the end we looked like we would win the game. "
Bosses clash over spot-kick equalise
By PAUL DEWS
Yorkshire Evening Post
RIVAL bosses Kevin Blackwell and Joe Royle were at odds after a hotly-disputed penalty salvaged Leeds United a point at Ipswich last night.
Supersub David Healy converted an 88th-minute penalty to secure Leeds a 1-1 draw at Portman Road – but the managers were in dispute over the penalty decision that led to the equaliser. Ipswich defender Jason De Vos was
adjudged to have handled under pressure from Leeds striker Rob Hulse, and Healy stepped up to spare United's blushes by bagging his 11th goal of the season. Blackwell said: "We called for a penalty straight away, and the referee gave it straight away. "I thought he handled, but I haven't seen it again so I'm not going to say for sure that Joe is wrong. "You keep telling defenders to keep their hands down. If you raise them in the box you know the possible consequences." But Ipswich boss Royle was defiant: "Firstly it wasn't a corner and then Rob Hulse banged into Jason, which is why his arm went up with the impact. "I saw it three times on the video after the game and there is no doubt. "How the referee saw the handball, but didn't see the foul on Jason De Vos is amazing. He said he didn't see it so there is no more to be said." The entire United side appealed for the handball and penalty hero Healy had no doubts. "It was similar to the one we had against Wigan in the Cup," he said. "I think they felt it was the wrong decision, but we were happy with it. "There were a few shenanigans before I took the penalty, but I knew the keeper would go left, I kept my head over it and did what I didn't do in the shoot-out against Wigan – put it in the corner. "Ipswich are a decent side and a point isn't to be sniffed at. Good sides grind results out and we did that." United midfielder Jonathan Douglas also felt it was a clear penalty and he said: "It was a handball. It was the same as the Wigan penalty, and full credit to Dave because he showed a lot of bottle." The point did little to aid United in their bid to put pressure on closest rivals Sheffield United ahead of their clash with Derby County tonight, but it was enough to take Leeds back above Watford and into third place once again. And Elland Road chief Blackwell was happy enough to head home with another point. "I didn't feel we were on top of our game, but we were still good enough to get a result," he said. "The penalty was the break we needed, but we got what we deserved. Their keeper made two world-class saves from Rob Hulse – the second one was unbelievable. "I thought we looked dominant at times, but it looked as though things just wouldn't drop for us. "We persevered, we kept going, and in the end we looked like we would win the game. "