Jermaine gives the Cobblers the boot! - Yorkshire Evening Post 18/11/08
By Phil Hay
Northampton Town 2 Leeds United 5
Gary McAllister's least desirable scenario at Sixfields was a third defeat in succession for Leeds United.
Close behind in his list of unwanted possibilities was an FA Cup first-round replay which dragged his tired squad through extra-time. Neither eventuality came to pass and no-one inside Northampton Town's stadium can have been happier to see last night's tie settled in United's favour by half-time.
The club's 5-2 win over Northampton was their first victory in an FA Cup game for five seasons, but the priority for Leeds at Sixfields was not the improvement of slightly embarrassing history. After a League One defeat to Huddersfield Town on Saturday, the brief last night was to come safely through the tie and to do so with the minimum of fuss.
Rarely has McAllister, in his guise as United's manager, looked as angry as he did after Huddersfield's victory at Elland Road but the outcome of their swift turnaround to Northampton – a fixture which, in truth, was more than a little unwelcome two days after a West Yorkshire derby – lifted that exasperated expression.
Leeds emerged from their attacking shell and scored four goals before the interval and Jermaine Beckford, the club's leading striker, did likewise by scoring for the first time since October 11.
By the final whistle, Beckford had recorded his second hat-trick of the season and improved his personal tally of goals to 16, and Leeds were assured of a visit to non-league Histon in round two of the FA Cup, a televised tie which will reward United with an £80,000 broadcast fee.
Leeds agreed to an untimely Monday night game at Sixfields on the basis that Irish broadcaster Setanta would screen the replay live and pay almost £40,000 for the privilege, and the financial gamble paid off handsomely.
Aside from the excellent result, McAllister now has the benefit of an extra day to work with and recuperate his squad before Saturday's league game against Hartlepool United at Elland Road. If he feels hyper-critical, he might only remind Leeds' players of the list of chances Northampton were able to create but incapable of finishing last night.
He delivered on his promise of changes at Sixfields and made a total of six to his team, the most intriguing of which was the starting place given to Malcolm Christie.
Leeds have been working towards a contractual agreement with the striker for the past fortnight and confirmation of his registration for yesterday's tie was not entirely unexpected.
Previous questions about Christie were repeatedly met with positive noises from McAllister, but there was never an indication that his debut might come so suddenly.
His last competitive appearance was made in April of last year, towards the end of a contract at Middlesbrough which promised much but ultimately fell victim to Christie's merciless list of injuries, and his involvement against the Cobblers was the welcome end of 18 months spent waiting for a fresh start.
Furthermore, it lessened the strain on a squad that, while bigger than any other in League One, was beset by slight fatigue during Saturday's West Yorkshire derby. Fabian Delph took up a position on the bench – a rest which should allow him to debut for England's Under-21s this evening – and Luciano Becchio did the same, breaking the Argentinian's draining sequence of nine consecutive starts in five weeks.
Becchio's recent reliability in front of goal had lifted a degree of pressure from Beckford who before yesterday had not scored for seven matches, but the one certainty about Beckford was that his drought would not last. It was broken after 13 minutes at Sixfields and positively shattered by full-time. The architect of his and United's first goal was Town defender Liam Dolman who let a soaring clearance bounce on the edge of his box, and David Prutton's glancing header set up Beckford to bring the ball under control and cushion a shot past Frank Fielding.
His deft touch and composed finish was the one moment of quality in an otherwise forgettable opening, a spell dictated to some extent by a wet and heavy pitch, and David Lucas' one-handed save from Liam Davis was a rare flicker of drama before Beckford's goal.
But the early lead had the desired effect for McAllister, settling his players and drawing Northampton out earlier and in greater numbers than they might have planned, and the pace of Beckford on the counter-attack was immediately apparent.
United's advantage was threatened twice in the space of a minute.First Gary Holt shot wide of Lucas' goal from an excellent position – his chance presented to him by Lubomir Michalik's indecision under a free-kick from Davis – and then Luke Guttridge dipped a shot from 25 yards over the crossbar.
But Leeds strangled the game with a second goal before the half-hour.
Jonathan Howson's 28th-minute finish was reliant on a fortunate deflection off the boot of Mark Hughes which diverted the ball past a committed Fielding, but the football which preceded the midfielder's strike was deserving of a goal.Howson exchanged a quick one-two with Christie to leave Northampton's defence stationary and helpless, and Hughes' flailing foot did the rest. The towel was not thrown in immediately by Northampton, but it came before half-time.
Scott McGleish headed a reasonable chance wide amid ponderous marking and Guttridge's deflected free-kick was brilliantly saved by Lucas on his goalline, but Northampton made a mess of clearing a 41st-minute corner and watched as Ben Parker drilled home a shot from outside the box and claimed a memorable first goal for Leeds.
The cushion fashioned by McAllister's players was more comfortable than he could have envisaged, but a needless concession in the final minute of the half briefly made Northampton's task less thankless than it had been.Guttridge's corner was glanced home by the unmarked Jason Crowe – not the first Northampton player to be left without an attendant inside United's box – but a frantic finish to the half saw Beckford cut in from the left wing and score a clinical second goal on the break, restoring calm to the away dug-out. The situation demanded that Town attack Leeds at every opportunity.
But that desperation made their defence vulnerable and Neil Kilkenny's beautifully weighted pass cut through their backline and invited Beckford to complete his hat-trick in the 55th minute with a shot to the right of Fielding.
It gave Leeds enough confidence to showboat through the rest of the game – until, that was, Crowe scored again on 90 minutes – and handed their supporters the assurance to taunt Northampton with chants of "you should have watched on Setanta."
It was a medium though which United's evening could not have appeared any better – or Northampton's any worse.
Yorkshire Post 18/11/08
Northampton Town 2 Leeds United 5: Beckford blasts Leeds into next round
FA CUP
THE chants about a May visit to Wembley may have been a tad optimistic but the sense of relief evident among the travelling Leeds United supporters last night was understandable as their FA Cup misery finally came to an end.
After nine unsuccessful attempts and a wait of almost six years, United finally progressed in the world's oldest competition courtesy of a five-goal demolition of Northampton Town and earned a second-round visit to non-League minnows Histon. 
Leeds – and hat-trick hero Jermaine Beckford, in particular – put the boot into the Cobblers in merciless fashion to seal a first FA Cup win since a fifth-round defeat of Crystal Palace in February 2003 under Terry Venables. A surprise last night was the inclusion of Malcolm Christie in the starting line-up. The 29-year-old striker has been without a club since being released by Middlesbrough in the summer of 2007 and a couple of unsuccessful trials at Hull City and Leeds, the latter brought to an abrupt end by a back injury.
However, after spending the past two months building his fitness and then impressing in a reserve team outing and two behind-closed doors friendlies, Christie had clearly done enough to persuade Gary McAllister to give him a chance.
He showed enough promise without doing anything spectacular to suggest the former England Under-21 international could have a role to play in the push for promotion from League One.
Beckford, meanwhile, notched a second hat-trick of the season after being restored to the side as one of six changes. He started the rout on 13 minutes after David Prutton had flicked a towering clearance from Lubomir Michalik into his path and he fired an unstoppable right-foot shot past Frank Fielding in the home goal.
After the disappointment of Saturday's last-gasp derby defeat to Huddersfield Town, it was just the fillip Leeds needed and they doubled their advantage in the 28th minute when Jonny Howson's shot was deflected past the Northampton goalkeeper by Mark Hughes. Four minutes before the break Fielding somehow allowed Ben Parker's shot from 35 yards to squirm under him on the line.
The highlight of Northampton's night followed when Jason Crowe met a left-wing corner sweetly to beat David Lucas in the 44th minute, but Beckford netted his second during stoppage time.Northampton's misery continued after the break with the outstanding Neil Kilkenny playing Beckford through on 55 minutes and the striker showed terrific composure to score his hat-trick goal.
Leeds, who were so in control that Fabian Delph was able to stay on the bench and, therefore, remain fresh for a potential England Under-21s debut at Bramall Lane tonight, did concede in the final minute when Crowe met another corner sweetly but it could not detract from a fine night for McAllister's men.
Leeds – and hat-trick hero Jermaine Beckford, in particular – put the boot into the Cobblers in merciless fashion to seal a first FA Cup win since a fifth-round defeat of Crystal Palace in February 2003 under Terry Venables. A surprise last night was the inclusion of Malcolm Christie in the starting line-up. The 29-year-old striker has been without a club since being released by Middlesbrough in the summer of 2007 and a couple of unsuccessful trials at Hull City and Leeds, the latter brought to an abrupt end by a back injury.
However, after spending the past two months building his fitness and then impressing in a reserve team outing and two behind-closed doors friendlies, Christie had clearly done enough to persuade Gary McAllister to give him a chance.
He showed enough promise without doing anything spectacular to suggest the former England Under-21 international could have a role to play in the push for promotion from League One.
Beckford, meanwhile, notched a second hat-trick of the season after being restored to the side as one of six changes. He started the rout on 13 minutes after David Prutton had flicked a towering clearance from Lubomir Michalik into his path and he fired an unstoppable right-foot shot past Frank Fielding in the home goal.
After the disappointment of Saturday's last-gasp derby defeat to Huddersfield Town, it was just the fillip Leeds needed and they doubled their advantage in the 28th minute when Jonny Howson's shot was deflected past the Northampton goalkeeper by Mark Hughes. Four minutes before the break Fielding somehow allowed Ben Parker's shot from 35 yards to squirm under him on the line.
The highlight of Northampton's night followed when Jason Crowe met a left-wing corner sweetly to beat David Lucas in the 44th minute, but Beckford netted his second during stoppage time.Northampton's misery continued after the break with the outstanding Neil Kilkenny playing Beckford through on 55 minutes and the striker showed terrific composure to score his hat-trick goal.
Leeds, who were so in control that Fabian Delph was able to stay on the bench and, therefore, remain fresh for a potential England Under-21s debut at Bramall Lane tonight, did concede in the final minute when Crowe met another corner sweetly but it could not detract from a fine night for McAllister's men.Daily Mail 17/11/08
Leeds chairman Bates mocks Chelsea youngsters and fires warning to Delph suitors
Leeds chairman Ken Bates has reopened his bitter war of words with former club Chelsea - and issued another defiant hands-off warning to the Barclays Premier League clubs coveting 18-year-old midfielder Fabian Delph.
Bates used his match programme notes at the weekend to mock the lack of progress of two young players lured from Elland Road to Stamford Bridge amid a furious poaching row in 2006.
Leeds eventually accepted £5million in compensation from Chelsea.
Bates, who was chairman at Stamford Bridge from 1982 to 2003, contrasted those players' fortunes with those of Delph, who is attracting rave reviews playing in the first team and has just received his first call up for the England Under 21 squad. 
'Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo. Remember them?' asked Bates in Leeds' programme for the 2-1 home defeat to Huddersfield on Saturday. 'No? The names came back to me when we received a circular from a firm of football agents as follows: "Tom Taiwo - Chelsea central midfield/right-back. Former Leeds United. £2m. England youth international who had a spell at Port Vale this season".
Remember them now? Great players with outstanding potential. They were invited down to Chelsea with their parents. They visited the Chelsea training ground, stayed at a good hotel, watched Chelsea and then signed for the club. Haven't heard of them since until the above circular, offering Tom on loan, arrived at our door.
'The problem is that young players and their parents are sometimes seduced by short-term promises. It must be very tempting to see short-term gains and the glamour of moving to a so-called "big club". In reality the truth is very different. The kids disappear into the anonymity of the nether regions, rarely to be heard of again.
'Meanwhile, back at their origins, other youngsters are nurtured, encouraged and progress through the ranks. [Danny] Rose, Woods and Taiwo versus Delph, [Jonny] Howson, [Aidan] White and [Ben] Parker speak for themselves. Short-term gain, long-term loss. Leeds United are committed to caring and fostering our youth for the long-term benefit of the kids' future.'
So far 18-year-old Woods - who was an unused substitute in Chelsea's Carling Cup defeat to Burnley last week - has made just two substitute appearances for the Blues, which total less than half an hour on the pitch in FA Cup games against lower League opposition in January 2007.
Taiwo, also 18, has yet to play for the Premier League giants and does not even have a profile on the Chelsea website. He made five appearances - two as a substitute - during a loan spell at Port Vale earlier this season.
Rose, 18, has been similarly anonymous at Spurs since a controversial move in the summer of 2007. He is yet to make his debut, though he did not play for Leeds either.
By contrast Delph, who the Elland Road hierarchy now value at more than £10m , has now made 17 starts for Leeds, scoring three goals and has attracted interested from Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Sunderland - and played in front of a League One crowd of 32,028 in the Yorkshire derby on Saturday.
'Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo. Remember them?' asked Bates in Leeds' programme for the 2-1 home defeat to Huddersfield on Saturday. 'No? The names came back to me when we received a circular from a firm of football agents as follows: "Tom Taiwo - Chelsea central midfield/right-back. Former Leeds United. £2m. England youth international who had a spell at Port Vale this season".
Remember them now? Great players with outstanding potential. They were invited down to Chelsea with their parents. They visited the Chelsea training ground, stayed at a good hotel, watched Chelsea and then signed for the club. Haven't heard of them since until the above circular, offering Tom on loan, arrived at our door.
'The problem is that young players and their parents are sometimes seduced by short-term promises. It must be very tempting to see short-term gains and the glamour of moving to a so-called "big club". In reality the truth is very different. The kids disappear into the anonymity of the nether regions, rarely to be heard of again.
'Meanwhile, back at their origins, other youngsters are nurtured, encouraged and progress through the ranks. [Danny] Rose, Woods and Taiwo versus Delph, [Jonny] Howson, [Aidan] White and [Ben] Parker speak for themselves. Short-term gain, long-term loss. Leeds United are committed to caring and fostering our youth for the long-term benefit of the kids' future.'
So far 18-year-old Woods - who was an unused substitute in Chelsea's Carling Cup defeat to Burnley last week - has made just two substitute appearances for the Blues, which total less than half an hour on the pitch in FA Cup games against lower League opposition in January 2007.
Taiwo, also 18, has yet to play for the Premier League giants and does not even have a profile on the Chelsea website. He made five appearances - two as a substitute - during a loan spell at Port Vale earlier this season.
Rose, 18, has been similarly anonymous at Spurs since a controversial move in the summer of 2007. He is yet to make his debut, though he did not play for Leeds either.
By contrast Delph, who the Elland Road hierarchy now value at more than £10m , has now made 17 starts for Leeds, scoring three goals and has attracted interested from Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Sunderland - and played in front of a League One crowd of 32,028 in the Yorkshire derby on Saturday.