Yorkshire Evening Post 4/10/07
Dennis Wise wins manager award
By Phil Hay
Leeds United boss Dennis Wise has been named League One's manager of the month for the second month running.
Wise collected the accolade for September after guiding United to four victories and a draw from their five league games last month. The run of form, which has left United unbeaten after nine league matches this season, wiped out their 15-point Football League penalty and lifted the club out of League One's relegation places. Tuesday night's 1-0 win at Oldham Athletic moved Wise's players up to 10th position, four points short of the play-offs. The 40-year-old was previously declared the division's manager of the month for August after four wins from five games during the first three weeks of the term. Wise's squad will be strengthened this weekend by the return of strikers Jermaine Beckford and Tresor Kandol from suspension, but United are waiting anxiously for news on Tore Andre Flo's condition after sending the Norwegian forward for a scan on his injured foot.
Yorkshire Post 3/10/07
Leeds end 20 year wait for victory at Boundary Park
By Richard Sutcliffe
Oldham 0 Leeds United 1
IF Leeds United can win at Oldham Athletic, then anything really is possible this season.
At a Boundary Park where in 19 previous visits Leeds had won just twice, Ian Westlake's sweetly-struck volley five minutes into stoppage time was enough to earn three vital points for Dennis Wise's side. It was rough luck on Oldham after a largely forgettable game in which neither side had looked capable of breaking the deadlock. But none of the 3,732 visiting fans who celebrated joyously at the final whistle cared a jot as United continued their charge up the League One table. The decisive goal came after a quick throw from Andrew Hughes saw the ball find Sebastien Carole wide on the left. The French winger then looked up and swung over a deep cross that flew over the top of the Oldham defence to where Westlake, who had only been on the field a matter of seconds, was arriving unmarked to smash the ball into the roof of the net and spark wild scenes in the away end at Boundary Park.
It brought to an end a near 21-year wait for a win at Oldham for Leeds, with the nine visits since an Andy Ritchie goal was enough to earn a 1-0 triumph at Christmas, 1986, resulting in five defeats and four draws.
The victory also ensured United bounced back from the disappointment of seeing their winning start to the season ended in controversial circumstances at the weekend.After being reduced to nine men by the dismissal of Tresor Kandol and Jermaine Beckford, United held out until stoppage time at Gillingham when Ian Cox rescued a point. With the two strikers suspended, Wise drafted in Wayne Andrews and Mark De Vries on loan and the pair both started against Oldham and worked hard without really being given the service needed to make an impact. Andrews, on loan for a month from Coventry City, had possibly the best chance after being played through in first-half stoppage time by Jonathan Douglas. The striker was left with only Mark Crossley to beat but shot well wide of the target. David Prutton also had a flicked header well saved by Crossley in the second half, while Oldham's Chris Taylor saw a shot cleared by Rui Marques from in front of his own goal.That seemed to be it for United until the late, late show broke Oldham's hearts and continued United's charge for promotion. And if Wise's men can pick up three points when not playing well as they did last night, then there really is no limit to what can be achieved this season.
United's problem before Westlake's stunning late winner was a lack of creativity with the tactic of pumping long balls forward from defence playing straight into the hands of a home defence led by Sean Gregan. It was a mystifying tactic with a lack of pace being one of the major reasons behind Gregan being released by Wise last season. And yet, apart from an instance at both the start and end of the half, Leeds failed miserably to try and capitalise on their former player's frailties when trying to match a quick and powerful striker. The yellow card handed to Gregan in just the second minute for hauling down Andrews after
being caught flat-footed should also have acted as encouragement to Leeds.
Oldham did create a couple of chances, the best undoubtedly coming in the 19th minute when Taylor's shot was cleared after Andy Liddell had burst into the penalty area on the right.
But that was as good as it got for the home side who only had time to kick off following Westlake's winner before referee Phil Joslin blew for full time to send the visiting fans back along the M62 in elated mood.
Dennis Wise wins manager award
By Phil Hay
Leeds United boss Dennis Wise has been named League One's manager of the month for the second month running.
Wise collected the accolade for September after guiding United to four victories and a draw from their five league games last month. The run of form, which has left United unbeaten after nine league matches this season, wiped out their 15-point Football League penalty and lifted the club out of League One's relegation places. Tuesday night's 1-0 win at Oldham Athletic moved Wise's players up to 10th position, four points short of the play-offs. The 40-year-old was previously declared the division's manager of the month for August after four wins from five games during the first three weeks of the term. Wise's squad will be strengthened this weekend by the return of strikers Jermaine Beckford and Tresor Kandol from suspension, but United are waiting anxiously for news on Tore Andre Flo's condition after sending the Norwegian forward for a scan on his injured foot.
Yorkshire Post 3/10/07
Leeds end 20 year wait for victory at Boundary Park
By Richard Sutcliffe
Oldham 0 Leeds United 1
IF Leeds United can win at Oldham Athletic, then anything really is possible this season.
At a Boundary Park where in 19 previous visits Leeds had won just twice, Ian Westlake's sweetly-struck volley five minutes into stoppage time was enough to earn three vital points for Dennis Wise's side. It was rough luck on Oldham after a largely forgettable game in which neither side had looked capable of breaking the deadlock. But none of the 3,732 visiting fans who celebrated joyously at the final whistle cared a jot as United continued their charge up the League One table. The decisive goal came after a quick throw from Andrew Hughes saw the ball find Sebastien Carole wide on the left. The French winger then looked up and swung over a deep cross that flew over the top of the Oldham defence to where Westlake, who had only been on the field a matter of seconds, was arriving unmarked to smash the ball into the roof of the net and spark wild scenes in the away end at Boundary Park.
It brought to an end a near 21-year wait for a win at Oldham for Leeds, with the nine visits since an Andy Ritchie goal was enough to earn a 1-0 triumph at Christmas, 1986, resulting in five defeats and four draws.
The victory also ensured United bounced back from the disappointment of seeing their winning start to the season ended in controversial circumstances at the weekend.After being reduced to nine men by the dismissal of Tresor Kandol and Jermaine Beckford, United held out until stoppage time at Gillingham when Ian Cox rescued a point. With the two strikers suspended, Wise drafted in Wayne Andrews and Mark De Vries on loan and the pair both started against Oldham and worked hard without really being given the service needed to make an impact. Andrews, on loan for a month from Coventry City, had possibly the best chance after being played through in first-half stoppage time by Jonathan Douglas. The striker was left with only Mark Crossley to beat but shot well wide of the target. David Prutton also had a flicked header well saved by Crossley in the second half, while Oldham's Chris Taylor saw a shot cleared by Rui Marques from in front of his own goal.That seemed to be it for United until the late, late show broke Oldham's hearts and continued United's charge for promotion. And if Wise's men can pick up three points when not playing well as they did last night, then there really is no limit to what can be achieved this season.
United's problem before Westlake's stunning late winner was a lack of creativity with the tactic of pumping long balls forward from defence playing straight into the hands of a home defence led by Sean Gregan. It was a mystifying tactic with a lack of pace being one of the major reasons behind Gregan being released by Wise last season. And yet, apart from an instance at both the start and end of the half, Leeds failed miserably to try and capitalise on their former player's frailties when trying to match a quick and powerful striker. The yellow card handed to Gregan in just the second minute for hauling down Andrews after
being caught flat-footed should also have acted as encouragement to Leeds.
Oldham did create a couple of chances, the best undoubtedly coming in the 19th minute when Taylor's shot was cleared after Andy Liddell had burst into the penalty area on the right.
But that was as good as it got for the home side who only had time to kick off following Westlake's winner before referee Phil Joslin blew for full time to send the visiting fans back along the M62 in elated mood.