Times 8/8/09
Jermaine Beckford strikes twice to earn Leeds win
Leeds United 2 Exeter City 1
Richard Rae
HAVING sold their most promising player, Fabian Delph, Leeds United know they must hang on to their most potent, Jermaine Beckford, if they are to justify their pre-season status as favourites for automatic promotion. The tall striker, who struck 27 times in 27 starts last season, continued where he left off by notching both goals in an unexpectedly hard-fought victory.
Beckford could have had a hat-trick before he opened the scoring in the 13th minute, the most culpable miss coming after just four minutes when he side-footed straight at Exeter goalkeeper Paul Jones from six yards. He made up for it when he took advantage of Ben Parker’s fine run and pass to beat Jones as the goalkeeper came out to narrow the angle.
Exeter, without either of their first choice strikers, began to feel their way into the game, and Barry Corr should have tested United goalkeeper Shane Higgs with a volley in the 22nd minute. Moments later Beckford headed on to the bar, with Jones beaten.
Corr’s sending off on the hour made life even more difficult for the visitors, but Paul Tisdale’s team showed why they had won successive promotions by reorganising and battling superbly, and got the reward their endeavour deserved when Alex Russell’s fine curling shot, after a well-worked free-kick routine, gave Higgs no chance. It looked like being enough to secure a point until Beckford rose above the City defence to head Jason Crowe’s cross past Jones three minutes from time.
"People can bid what they want for Jermaine, we're not going to accept anything," said Leeds manager Simon Grayson. Beckford is out of contract at the end of the season.
Star man: Beckford (Leeds)
Booked: Leeds: Showunmi.Exeter: Edwards, Golbourne, Harley. Sent off: Corr.
Leeds United (4-4-2): Higgs 6; Crowe 6, Kisnorbo 7, Marques 7, Parker 7 (Hughes 28, 7); Snodgrass 7, Doyle 6, Howson 6, Johnson 6 (Robinson 73); Beckford 8, Becchio 6 (Showunmi 83).
Exeter City (4-5-1): Jones 6; Duffy 6, Taylor 6, Seabourne 6, Golbourne 6; Harley 5, Russell 7, Cork 6 (Sercombe 90), Edwards 5 (McAllister 60, 5), Stewart 5 (Norwood 69); Corr 4.
Yorkshire Evening Post 8/8/09
Jermaine Beckford snatches victory against Exeter
By Phil Hay
Leeds United 2 Exeter City 1
Jermaine Beckford salvaged a victory for Leeds United on the first day of the season with an 88th-minute strike at Elland Road.
The forward converted a close-range header to give Leeds a winning start to the League One term after Exeter City had fought back from a goal down.
Ten-man City were on course for a share of the points after Alex Russell’s second half finish cancelled out an earlier Beckford goal, but United's late surge told on the visiting defence.
Exeter came under heavy pressure in the first half, and Beckford and Luciano Becchio came close to opening the scoring inside the first 10 minutes.
Beckford produced another two goalbound efforts, one saved by goalkeeper Paul Jones and the other deflected wide by the head of a defender, but he opened the scoring with a cool finish on 14 minutes when Ben Parker found him at the end of a long run.
Exeter's crossbar was then rattled by a Beckford header, and the visitors were limited to one serious chance before the break, wasted by Barry Corr's rash finish.
City's attempt to fight back appeared to have been wrecked when Corr was shown a straight red card, apparently for dissent, on 59 minutes, but Alex Russell silenced Elland Road by equalising with a curling shot from outside the box in the 73rd minute.
United threw men forward desperately in response and Beckford snatched a winner when he connected with Jason Crowe's cross.
Jermaine Beckford strikes twice to earn Leeds win
Leeds United 2 Exeter City 1
Richard Rae
HAVING sold their most promising player, Fabian Delph, Leeds United know they must hang on to their most potent, Jermaine Beckford, if they are to justify their pre-season status as favourites for automatic promotion. The tall striker, who struck 27 times in 27 starts last season, continued where he left off by notching both goals in an unexpectedly hard-fought victory.
Beckford could have had a hat-trick before he opened the scoring in the 13th minute, the most culpable miss coming after just four minutes when he side-footed straight at Exeter goalkeeper Paul Jones from six yards. He made up for it when he took advantage of Ben Parker’s fine run and pass to beat Jones as the goalkeeper came out to narrow the angle.
Exeter, without either of their first choice strikers, began to feel their way into the game, and Barry Corr should have tested United goalkeeper Shane Higgs with a volley in the 22nd minute. Moments later Beckford headed on to the bar, with Jones beaten.
Corr’s sending off on the hour made life even more difficult for the visitors, but Paul Tisdale’s team showed why they had won successive promotions by reorganising and battling superbly, and got the reward their endeavour deserved when Alex Russell’s fine curling shot, after a well-worked free-kick routine, gave Higgs no chance. It looked like being enough to secure a point until Beckford rose above the City defence to head Jason Crowe’s cross past Jones three minutes from time.
"People can bid what they want for Jermaine, we're not going to accept anything," said Leeds manager Simon Grayson. Beckford is out of contract at the end of the season.
Star man: Beckford (Leeds)
Booked: Leeds: Showunmi.Exeter: Edwards, Golbourne, Harley. Sent off: Corr.
Leeds United (4-4-2): Higgs 6; Crowe 6, Kisnorbo 7, Marques 7, Parker 7 (Hughes 28, 7); Snodgrass 7, Doyle 6, Howson 6, Johnson 6 (Robinson 73); Beckford 8, Becchio 6 (Showunmi 83).
Exeter City (4-5-1): Jones 6; Duffy 6, Taylor 6, Seabourne 6, Golbourne 6; Harley 5, Russell 7, Cork 6 (Sercombe 90), Edwards 5 (McAllister 60, 5), Stewart 5 (Norwood 69); Corr 4.
Yorkshire Evening Post 8/8/09
Jermaine Beckford snatches victory against Exeter
By Phil Hay
Leeds United 2 Exeter City 1
Jermaine Beckford salvaged a victory for Leeds United on the first day of the season with an 88th-minute strike at Elland Road.
The forward converted a close-range header to give Leeds a winning start to the League One term after Exeter City had fought back from a goal down.
Ten-man City were on course for a share of the points after Alex Russell’s second half finish cancelled out an earlier Beckford goal, but United's late surge told on the visiting defence.
Exeter came under heavy pressure in the first half, and Beckford and Luciano Becchio came close to opening the scoring inside the first 10 minutes.
Beckford produced another two goalbound efforts, one saved by goalkeeper Paul Jones and the other deflected wide by the head of a defender, but he opened the scoring with a cool finish on 14 minutes when Ben Parker found him at the end of a long run.
Exeter's crossbar was then rattled by a Beckford header, and the visitors were limited to one serious chance before the break, wasted by Barry Corr's rash finish.
City's attempt to fight back appeared to have been wrecked when Corr was shown a straight red card, apparently for dissent, on 59 minutes, but Alex Russell silenced Elland Road by equalising with a curling shot from outside the box in the 73rd minute.
United threw men forward desperately in response and Beckford snatched a winner when he connected with Jason Crowe's cross.
