Yorkshire Post 9/10/07
Darlington 0 Leeds United 1
By Richard Sutcliffe
A LOT has changed since Leeds United made the trip up the A1 to take on Darlington in a pre-season friendly on a warm July evening.
Back then, the Elland Road club's very future was still in doubt with the Football League refusing to return their so-called golden share and the majority of fans in open revolt against Dennis Wise and Ken Bates.
The unprecedented 15-point penalty was still a week or so away, but with the side that started the friendly against the Quakers featuring just five players who were then under contract to Leeds, the future looked anything but bright. Fast forward a little over two months, however, and the picture has changed somewhat.
Not only is there now genuine hope that United's season could end in promotion, but the 2,828 fans who made the trip to the Darlington Arena last night were able to spend much of the closing stages singing about a possible trip to Wembley in the spring.
Paul Huntington's 47th-minute goal was the reason for such confidence with the former Newcastle defender's powerful header meaning United need to negotiate just three more rounds to reach the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final.
Such talk may seem premature, but such is the belief running through Elland Road at the moment that anything really does seem possible.
United, who made nine changes from the side that made it nine wins and a draw from their opening 10 League One outings with a 1-0 triumph over Yeovil at the weekend, may have rode their luck in a first half in which Darlington created the better chances.
But the manner in which they closed the game down once ahead means few will fancy drawing Wise's men in next month's Northern Area quarter-finals. The winner was a straight-forward affair, Jonny Howson swinging over an inviting corner for Huntington, making his full debut, to power an unstoppable header into the net from six yards.
Leeds could have added to the lead with Mark De Vries striking a post midway through the second half and debutant Filipe Da Costa going close with a shot that followed a jinking run down the left.
The Portuguese winger has had to be patient after joining Leeds from Greek club Ionikos in late August due to a delay for his international clearance to come through. On the evidence of last night, the wait may well prove to be worth it with Da Costa showing plenty of promise after being brought off the bench just before the hour.
Darlington, who in contrast to Leeds made just two changes from the weekend win at Dagenham & Redbridge, had been the better side in the first half with Dave Penney's side bringing a couple of decent saves from David Lucas on his debut in the United goal.
The former Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper had to react quickly to keep out a shot from Alan White when Clark Keltie's cross to the back post had found the defender unmarked. Then, just before the break, Lucas pulled off a fine save to his right at full stretch to deny a stinging drive from Gregg Blundell before scarmbling to his feet to claim the bouncing ball.
Leeds offered little going forward in the first half, but all that changed within two minutes of the restart when Huntington rose high to head the visitors in front. The lead came under threat just once when substitute Matt Green hit a fierce 25-yard shot that had Lucas scrambling across goal.
That apart, it was a comfortable end to the game for Leeds as the visiting fans showed just how much has changed since the club's last visit in July by chanting for their manager, now a hero after United's blistering start, to "give us a wave".
Darlington 0 Leeds United 1
By Richard Sutcliffe
A LOT has changed since Leeds United made the trip up the A1 to take on Darlington in a pre-season friendly on a warm July evening.
Back then, the Elland Road club's very future was still in doubt with the Football League refusing to return their so-called golden share and the majority of fans in open revolt against Dennis Wise and Ken Bates.
The unprecedented 15-point penalty was still a week or so away, but with the side that started the friendly against the Quakers featuring just five players who were then under contract to Leeds, the future looked anything but bright. Fast forward a little over two months, however, and the picture has changed somewhat.
Not only is there now genuine hope that United's season could end in promotion, but the 2,828 fans who made the trip to the Darlington Arena last night were able to spend much of the closing stages singing about a possible trip to Wembley in the spring.
Paul Huntington's 47th-minute goal was the reason for such confidence with the former Newcastle defender's powerful header meaning United need to negotiate just three more rounds to reach the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final.
Such talk may seem premature, but such is the belief running through Elland Road at the moment that anything really does seem possible.
United, who made nine changes from the side that made it nine wins and a draw from their opening 10 League One outings with a 1-0 triumph over Yeovil at the weekend, may have rode their luck in a first half in which Darlington created the better chances.
But the manner in which they closed the game down once ahead means few will fancy drawing Wise's men in next month's Northern Area quarter-finals. The winner was a straight-forward affair, Jonny Howson swinging over an inviting corner for Huntington, making his full debut, to power an unstoppable header into the net from six yards.
Leeds could have added to the lead with Mark De Vries striking a post midway through the second half and debutant Filipe Da Costa going close with a shot that followed a jinking run down the left.
The Portuguese winger has had to be patient after joining Leeds from Greek club Ionikos in late August due to a delay for his international clearance to come through. On the evidence of last night, the wait may well prove to be worth it with Da Costa showing plenty of promise after being brought off the bench just before the hour.
Darlington, who in contrast to Leeds made just two changes from the weekend win at Dagenham & Redbridge, had been the better side in the first half with Dave Penney's side bringing a couple of decent saves from David Lucas on his debut in the United goal.
The former Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper had to react quickly to keep out a shot from Alan White when Clark Keltie's cross to the back post had found the defender unmarked. Then, just before the break, Lucas pulled off a fine save to his right at full stretch to deny a stinging drive from Gregg Blundell before scarmbling to his feet to claim the bouncing ball.
Leeds offered little going forward in the first half, but all that changed within two minutes of the restart when Huntington rose high to head the visitors in front. The lead came under threat just once when substitute Matt Green hit a fierce 25-yard shot that had Lucas scrambling across goal.
That apart, it was a comfortable end to the game for Leeds as the visiting fans showed just how much has changed since the club's last visit in July by chanting for their manager, now a hero after United's blistering start, to "give us a wave".