Sky 2/1/11
Grayson hails 'massive' win
Leeds boss delighted to stop rot after last-gasp win
Leeds manager Simon Grayson watched his side end a horror run with a dramatic win over Burnley and declared: "We can achieve anything".
Three successive defeats had seen the 42-year-old, who is carrying the burden of chairman Ken Bates' public demand for promotion with him, come under scrutiny.
That only looked set to intensify when Charlie Austin put Burnley ahead with 21 minutes left, some 40 minutes after his side had lost Kieran Trippier to a second yellow card.
But Leeds were given a leg-up by Brian Easton's 86th-minute own goal and then turned things around in the fifth minute of injury time, when Ross McCormack pounced on goalkeeper Lee Grant's error, sending his manager off on an emotion-charged run down the touchline.
"I've had a bad knee and I thought it might go, but it showed the passion and belief of everyone," Grayson said of the late drama.
"It's massive for us. We're at home, we don't want to get adrift of the play-off positions and it's important we win football matches. I made five changes today and we could have made 11."
Simon Grayson Quotes of the week
"I wasn't going to just stand on the touchline and accept it. We can achieve anything, because the division is so tight. A couple of wins gets you up there."
In Grayson's own words, Leeds were "embarrassing" in losing 4-1 at Barnsley on Saturday, and he stayed true to his pledge to change things around, making five alterations to his side, the most notable of which was giving a debut to on-loan Tottenham winger Andros Townsend.
Both of Trippier's cautions came for fouls on the livewire winger, and it was his shot that Grant spilled into McCormack's path.
"He's a talent, he's played against us a few times and (Spurs manager) Harry Redknapp rates him highly," Grayson said of Townsend.
"He trained with us briefly, he had his boots sent to us by taxi this morning. I might try and send the bill to (Bates' home) Monaco!
"With five minutes to go, we were staring down the barrel of another defeat. I thought we played well and had enough chances. I'm delighted we stopped the rot.
"It's massive for us. We're at home, we don't want to get adrift of the play-off positions and it's important we win football matches. I made five changes today and we could have made 11."
Burnley manager Eddie Howe pinpointed the dismissal of Trippier as a key moment.
His second foul on Townsend did appear soft at best, and Howe was in no doubt as to how crucial a decision it was.
"I'm bitterly disappointed," he said. "I'm proud of the players and I thought we deserved all three points for the defensive display. It was heartbreaking to concede but we can take great heart.
"At 11 v 11 I thought we were the better team. The ref changed the game with a really poor decision that made it a difficult afternoon for everyone. The second booking isn't even a foul and it was a big decision to make. A disgraceful one.
"Townsend told Kieran he slipped. Even if it was a foul, the referee has to use common sense. But I thought Townsend was excellent and we had aimed to keep him quiet."
Grayson hails 'massive' win
Leeds boss delighted to stop rot after last-gasp win
Leeds manager Simon Grayson watched his side end a horror run with a dramatic win over Burnley and declared: "We can achieve anything".
Three successive defeats had seen the 42-year-old, who is carrying the burden of chairman Ken Bates' public demand for promotion with him, come under scrutiny.
That only looked set to intensify when Charlie Austin put Burnley ahead with 21 minutes left, some 40 minutes after his side had lost Kieran Trippier to a second yellow card.
But Leeds were given a leg-up by Brian Easton's 86th-minute own goal and then turned things around in the fifth minute of injury time, when Ross McCormack pounced on goalkeeper Lee Grant's error, sending his manager off on an emotion-charged run down the touchline.
"I've had a bad knee and I thought it might go, but it showed the passion and belief of everyone," Grayson said of the late drama.
"It's massive for us. We're at home, we don't want to get adrift of the play-off positions and it's important we win football matches. I made five changes today and we could have made 11."
Simon Grayson Quotes of the week
"I wasn't going to just stand on the touchline and accept it. We can achieve anything, because the division is so tight. A couple of wins gets you up there."
In Grayson's own words, Leeds were "embarrassing" in losing 4-1 at Barnsley on Saturday, and he stayed true to his pledge to change things around, making five alterations to his side, the most notable of which was giving a debut to on-loan Tottenham winger Andros Townsend.
Both of Trippier's cautions came for fouls on the livewire winger, and it was his shot that Grant spilled into McCormack's path.
"He's a talent, he's played against us a few times and (Spurs manager) Harry Redknapp rates him highly," Grayson said of Townsend.
"He trained with us briefly, he had his boots sent to us by taxi this morning. I might try and send the bill to (Bates' home) Monaco!
"With five minutes to go, we were staring down the barrel of another defeat. I thought we played well and had enough chances. I'm delighted we stopped the rot.
"It's massive for us. We're at home, we don't want to get adrift of the play-off positions and it's important we win football matches. I made five changes today and we could have made 11."
Burnley manager Eddie Howe pinpointed the dismissal of Trippier as a key moment.
His second foul on Townsend did appear soft at best, and Howe was in no doubt as to how crucial a decision it was.
"I'm bitterly disappointed," he said. "I'm proud of the players and I thought we deserved all three points for the defensive display. It was heartbreaking to concede but we can take great heart.
"At 11 v 11 I thought we were the better team. The ref changed the game with a really poor decision that made it a difficult afternoon for everyone. The second booking isn't even a foul and it was a big decision to make. A disgraceful one.
"Townsend told Kieran he slipped. Even if it was a foul, the referee has to use common sense. But I thought Townsend was excellent and we had aimed to keep him quiet."