Southampton Daily Echo 19/12/09
Late goal agony for Saints at Leeds
By Adam Leitch
SAINTS fell to their first defeat in eight games as they were beaten 1-0 by league leaders Leeds at Elland Road.
Robert Snodgrass’ goal on 77 minutes was the difference between the sides in a game played out by without doubt two of League One’s best teams.
There was no shame in Alan Pardew’s team falling to a rare defeat but it left them with even less margin for error as they attempt to climb the table over Christmas and New Year.
Both sides had to contend with some tricky underfoot conditions as a smattering of snow lay uncleared in a strip that covered the middle portion of the pitch.
The first shot of the game came early on from Robert Snodgrass but from distance he sliced it well over the bar.
Saints were lucky to escape on five minutes when Neil Kilkenny’s ball down the middle split the Saints defence and sent Jermaine Beckford away.
Wayne Thomas sprinted to get back at him and the pressure he exerted saw Beckford slip as he raced into the area. The Leeds man claimed a foul but it never looked that way and the referee agreed.
Moments later Beckford was in the action again, this time firing in a shot from 25 yards that Bartosz Bialkowski saved low down to his right.
As the game settled into a pattern it was clear that Leeds were going to try and get the ball forward in the hope of using Beckford’s pace in behind Chris Perry and Radhi Jaidi.
However, with the two of them well aware of this and very experienced it was an intriguing battle.
Luciano Becchio had his first effort on 23 minutes with a header from a corner but from ten yards out he steered it wide of the post.
Adam Lallana became the first man in the book a minute later for a foul.
Becchio tried his luck again on the half hour mark, spinning and shooting on the turn but again his shot was well wide.
Leeds were dominating possession as Saints gave the ball away a little easily at times but Pardew’s men were compact and proving hard to break down.
Rickie Lambert had a rare shot for Saints but from 35 yards out it never troubled Casper Ankergren.
Leeds carved out the best chance they had created on 38 minutes when Snodgrass cut back on to his right foot on the left wing and curled in a cross that picked out the head of Becchio but from six yards out his flicked effort went over the bar.
They had another good opening four minutes later when another ball in from the left found the head of Beckford but he misjudged it and sent it straight into the turf in front of him and away from goal.
Just before the break Leeds failed to convert again, this time from a corner that Saints couldn’t clear and the ball bounced around in the box.
When the half time whistle blew Saints would have been happy with the scoreline but would have known that Leeds were looking capable of grabbing a goal and that would mean they might have to offer more going forward as well as defending doggedly.
The second half started as the first ended – with Leeds pressing for a goal and just 30 seconds after the restart Bialkowski had to produce an outstanding save to keep them at bay.
The ball fell to Jonathan Howson on the edge of the box and his half volley was arrowing in before Bialkowski dived away to his right and managed to turn it behind.
There was a flare up after an hour as Lambert and Kisnorbo became involved in some pushing and shoving in front of the dugouts but the referee Nigel Miller calmed things down effectively and let both players get away with a booking.
The game was beginning to settle down into a similar pattern as was seen early on.
Saints were staying tight and defending well from front to back as Leeds, roared on by over 25,000 noisy fans at Elland Road, pushed for a goal.
But Saints always had that threat that they could snatch a breakaway goal due to their quality.
Leeds came close again on 67 minutes as Howson cut in from the left and curled a shot towards goal.
Beckford met it in the middle with a back flick but diverted it just wide of the far post.
The game was turning ever more into a scrap.
Leeds supporters were starting to get frustrated as their side resorted to ever ore direct tactics, all of which suited Saints who would have been perfectly happy with the way the game was going.
Leeds made a double change to try and get a goal on 75 minutes with Max Gradel and Bradley Johnson replacing Beckford and Howson.
Beckford cause a bit of a stir as he came off, shoving away manager Simon Grayson’s hand and then storming straight down the tunnel.
The change paid instant dividends though as Leeds took the lead on 77 minutes.
Snodgrass collected the ball and pushed just into the top left hand corner of the Saints area, he back cut inside Hammond and curled a right footed shot that bent into the far top corner for 1-0. Pardew reacted with his first change with Michail Antonio on for Waigo.
That was followed with four minutes remaining by Oscar Gobern coming on for Thomas as Saints went to three at the back.
Saints had a chance to equalise on 90 minutes as Gobern was picked out by a corner but he directed his header from six yards out wide of the target.
In one last throw of the dice Neal Trotman was brought on and put up front in place of Connolly so Saints could go direct in the four minutes stoppage time.
Three minutes into stoppage time Saints came even closer as Antonio went down in the area and appealed for a penalty that was not given, Lambert got on the end of it and lifted the ball past Ankergren and across goal but it drifted agonisingly just past the far post.
After Harding volleyed wide moments later the final whistle went and Saints were left to suffer a rare defeat.

Leedsunited.com 19/12/09
SNODGRASS WONDER STRIKE SINKS SAINTS
LEEDS 1 (Snodgrass 76), SOUTHAMPTON 0
Leeds: Ankergren, Bromby, Naylor, Kisnorbo, Hughes, Howson (Johnson 75), Doyle, Kilkenny, Snodgrass, Beckford (Gradel 75), Becchio. Subs: D Martin, Crowe, Grella, Kandol, Ephraim.
Southampton: Bialkowski, Jaidi, Harding, Perry, James, Hammond, Waigo N'Diaye (Antonio 79), Thomas (Gobern 86), Lambert, Lallana, Connolly (Trotman 90). Subs: Davis, Wotton, Mills, Mellis.
Referee: N Miller
Booked: Kisnorbo (Leeds), Lallana, Lambert (Soton)
Att: 25,948
Simon Grayson had again made a number of changes as his side faced a Southampton team enjoying a good run of form.
Leeds were unbeaten in the league since January at Elland Road and a healthy crowd turned out for the pre-Christmas fixture.
There was a controversial opening to proceedings, though, when Jermaine Beckford felt he had good claims for a penalty after being felled while through on goal inside the opening five minutes.
Early chances were few and far between, however, as the two sides looked to adapt to the conditions of a pitch partially covered by snow.
United did look to force an opening and Radhi Jaidi blocked a Robert Snodgrass shot before Micky Doyle also had a shot blocked from the resultant corner.
Some more good play by United led to Andrew Hughes winning a corner as he looked to whip in a ball from the byline. Luciano Becchio headed the resultant corner just wide of the mark.
At the other end, Leigh Bromby reacted well to cut out a dangerous pass from Adam Lallana.
Becchio was next to try his luck when he turned well and hit a shot over the bar on the half-hour mark.
Leeds had enjoyed the better of the opening period in terms of possession and Becchio headed over the top after a good cross from Snodgrass.
Shortly before half-time, Dean Hammond screwed an effort wide for the visitors, but it was Leeds who were in the ascendancy as the game headed towards the break.
Leeds also started the second half on the front foot, Jonny Howson forcing Barotsz Bialkowski into making a good save. When United threatened again, the ball fizzed across the face of goal.
Tempers flared on the hour-mark when a frustrated Rickie Lambert clashed with Paddy Kisnorbo, but Leeds were still looking the better of the two sides.
United came within a whisker on 67 minutes when Howson tried his luck from distance with an effort which skidded just wide of the upright.
The breakthrough finally came on 76 minutes, though, courtesy of wonderful individual effort from Snodgrass. The Scot worked himself an opening by twisting and turning as he cut in from the left before delivering a superb strike from distance.
Leeds were good value for the lead and, unsurprisingly, Grasyon's men had some defending to do during the closing stages as Southampton looked to mount a late rally in the hope of bagging an equaliser.
Four minutes of added time created a tense finale - Lambert fired across the face of goal with Southampton's first decent chance of the game - but United held firm to win the clash and to guarantee the leadership of League One at Christmas.

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