Sunday Times 8/5/10
Jermaine Beckford fires Leeds to promotion
Leeds 2 Bristol Rovers 1:
Andrew Longmore at Elland Road
LEEDS UNITED’S long-awaited climb back up the league began in raucous style at Elland Road yesterday. Being Leeds, the afternoon was far from straightforward. At different times, both Millwall and Charlton occupied the automatic promotion place from League One as Leeds, reduced to 10 men for an hour by a moment of craziness from Max Gradel, had to come from behind to beat Bristol Rovers and end their three-year exile in League One.
The flood of relief at the final whistle told the story of a typically tense campaign, a handsome first half of the season giving way to near despair and hard-won triumph for Simon Grayson, United’s bright and talented young manager, and his industrious side. Though a few in southeast London will disagree, Leeds probably deserved their reward.
“We never seem to do anything easy at this club,” said Grayson. “But it makes it a lot harder when you go down to 10 men and go a goal down. But we showed a lot of hunger, desire and determination. They can be very proud of themselves.”
Certainly, a few Championship chairmen will be rubbing their hands at the prospect of one of the country’s best-supported teams coming to town. Two goals in four minutes early in the second half, by Jonathan Howson and Jermaine Beckford, settled the issue after Darryl Duffy had given the visitors the lead just after half-time.
Whether this is the start of a relentless rise back to their former pomp for United is more debatable. No one could argue with their spirit or nerve in front of 38,000 passionate fans yesterday. But an injection of class and creativity will be required merely to compete in the Championship, particularly as Beckford, the leading scorer, is a free agent and almost certain to leave. His 31 goals, the last of them finally securing promotion back to the Championship, will be hard to replace.
Doubtless, Grayson had reminded his players many times during the week of the need for calm. Unfortunately Gradel, the midfielder from the Ivory Coast, must have missed that part of the lecture. As if Leeds were not making hard enough work of breaking down a resolute Rovers side, Gradel reacted with such ferocity to a challenge by Daniel Jones, the Rovers full-back, that he had to be restrained by two of his own players and a posse of security men from taking vengeance on both Jones and the referee who showed him the red card, Graham Salisbury.
As Gradel is about 5ft nothing and had been Leeds’ one source of inspiration during the first half-hour, the whole incident took on an element of tragi-comedy. Referee Salisbury had no option but to issue a straight red card to Gradel, who had to be escorted off the pitch.
“I still don’t know why he was sent off,” said Grayson. “But I was very disappointed with his reaction. He must have thought he’d let everyone down. He’ll learn from it and he won’t do it again.”
Down to 10 men with an hour still to play, Leeds had to regroup. With Swindon and Millwall drawing 1-1 at half-time, they were still in pole position for that automatic promotion place. But just a minute after half-time came another fearful blow. A cross deep to the far post was hooked back across goal by Joe Kuffour and Duffy turned neatly to clip the ball past Shane Higgs from close range. Charlton, ahead at Oldham, were now in the automatic promotion spot.
Leeds shed all caution and, five minutes after being sent on to replace Shane Lowry, Howson pulled the home team level with a curling shot past Mikkel Andersen from 18 yards.
Four minutes later, Leeds were on the brink of claiming what they see as their birthright, thanks to Beckford’s close-range shot. The Premier League will be a long trek, but Leeds are on the march once more.
Star man: Luciano Becchio (Leeds)
Yellow cards: Leeds: Doyle, Becchio
Bristol Rovers: Jones, Duffy
Red card: Leeds: Gradel
Referee: G Salisbury
Attendance: 38,234
Leeds: Higgs 6, A Hughes 6, Collins 7, Bromby 5, Lowry 5 (Howson 54min, 7), Kilkenny 7, Doyle 6, Johnson 6, Gradel 4, Becchio 8 (Watt 87min), Beckford 7 (Snodgrass 90+2)
Bristol Rovers: Andersen 6, Regan 5, Coles 6, Anthony 6, Jones 6, Reece 5 (Williams 72min), Lines 7, Campbell 6, J Hughes 6, Duffy 7 (Richard 80min), Kuffour 7
Jermaine Beckford fires Leeds to promotion
Leeds 2 Bristol Rovers 1:
Andrew Longmore at Elland Road
LEEDS UNITED’S long-awaited climb back up the league began in raucous style at Elland Road yesterday. Being Leeds, the afternoon was far from straightforward. At different times, both Millwall and Charlton occupied the automatic promotion place from League One as Leeds, reduced to 10 men for an hour by a moment of craziness from Max Gradel, had to come from behind to beat Bristol Rovers and end their three-year exile in League One.
The flood of relief at the final whistle told the story of a typically tense campaign, a handsome first half of the season giving way to near despair and hard-won triumph for Simon Grayson, United’s bright and talented young manager, and his industrious side. Though a few in southeast London will disagree, Leeds probably deserved their reward.
“We never seem to do anything easy at this club,” said Grayson. “But it makes it a lot harder when you go down to 10 men and go a goal down. But we showed a lot of hunger, desire and determination. They can be very proud of themselves.”
Certainly, a few Championship chairmen will be rubbing their hands at the prospect of one of the country’s best-supported teams coming to town. Two goals in four minutes early in the second half, by Jonathan Howson and Jermaine Beckford, settled the issue after Darryl Duffy had given the visitors the lead just after half-time.
Whether this is the start of a relentless rise back to their former pomp for United is more debatable. No one could argue with their spirit or nerve in front of 38,000 passionate fans yesterday. But an injection of class and creativity will be required merely to compete in the Championship, particularly as Beckford, the leading scorer, is a free agent and almost certain to leave. His 31 goals, the last of them finally securing promotion back to the Championship, will be hard to replace.
Doubtless, Grayson had reminded his players many times during the week of the need for calm. Unfortunately Gradel, the midfielder from the Ivory Coast, must have missed that part of the lecture. As if Leeds were not making hard enough work of breaking down a resolute Rovers side, Gradel reacted with such ferocity to a challenge by Daniel Jones, the Rovers full-back, that he had to be restrained by two of his own players and a posse of security men from taking vengeance on both Jones and the referee who showed him the red card, Graham Salisbury.
As Gradel is about 5ft nothing and had been Leeds’ one source of inspiration during the first half-hour, the whole incident took on an element of tragi-comedy. Referee Salisbury had no option but to issue a straight red card to Gradel, who had to be escorted off the pitch.
“I still don’t know why he was sent off,” said Grayson. “But I was very disappointed with his reaction. He must have thought he’d let everyone down. He’ll learn from it and he won’t do it again.”
Down to 10 men with an hour still to play, Leeds had to regroup. With Swindon and Millwall drawing 1-1 at half-time, they were still in pole position for that automatic promotion place. But just a minute after half-time came another fearful blow. A cross deep to the far post was hooked back across goal by Joe Kuffour and Duffy turned neatly to clip the ball past Shane Higgs from close range. Charlton, ahead at Oldham, were now in the automatic promotion spot.
Leeds shed all caution and, five minutes after being sent on to replace Shane Lowry, Howson pulled the home team level with a curling shot past Mikkel Andersen from 18 yards.
Four minutes later, Leeds were on the brink of claiming what they see as their birthright, thanks to Beckford’s close-range shot. The Premier League will be a long trek, but Leeds are on the march once more.
Star man: Luciano Becchio (Leeds)
Yellow cards: Leeds: Doyle, Becchio
Bristol Rovers: Jones, Duffy
Red card: Leeds: Gradel
Referee: G Salisbury
Attendance: 38,234
Leeds: Higgs 6, A Hughes 6, Collins 7, Bromby 5, Lowry 5 (Howson 54min, 7), Kilkenny 7, Doyle 6, Johnson 6, Gradel 4, Becchio 8 (Watt 87min), Beckford 7 (Snodgrass 90+2)
Bristol Rovers: Andersen 6, Regan 5, Coles 6, Anthony 6, Jones 6, Reece 5 (Williams 72min), Lines 7, Campbell 6, J Hughes 6, Duffy 7 (Richard 80min), Kuffour 7
