Mail 3/3/12
Leeds 0 Southampton 1: Davis keeps United at bay as Lambert powers Saints clear
By Steve Martyn
Nigel Adkins rated Kelvin Davis’s virtuoso goalkeeping among the best he had ever seen as
Championship leaders Southampton made it seven league games unbeaten.
And new Leeds manager Neil Warnock confessed that Davis had ‘done enough to win five Man of the Match awards’.
Rickie Lambert’s classic smash-and-grab goal secured the three points but Leeds paid the price for failing to embellish their slick approach play with goals.
Davis was in unbeatable form and Saints manager Adkins said: ‘His performance was right up there with the best I have seen. He was outstanding.
‘In the first 15 minutes we were chasing shadows for whatever reason. We looked second best to a very good Leeds team but Kelvin made some fantastic saves.
‘We had to grind out a result because we were not at our best. We defended resolutely, showed real resolve and character and kept our sixth clean sheet in nine games, which is pleasing.
‘We have a lot of matches in March and April but we have a strong squad to cope with that.’
The woodwork came to Southampton’s rescue twice in rapid succession near the end from headers by Robert Snodgrass and Darren O’Dea and, in the immediate aftermath, Tom Lees shot wide.
Luciano Becchio hit a post and substitute Danny Webber was twice denied a debut goal by the magnificent Davis, who made himself Leeds’ Public Enemy No 1.
Lambert’s 20th league goal of the season and his 24th in all competitions arrived in the 16th minute.
Former Leeds defender Frazer Richardson created space on the right for Jack Cork. His deep cross to beyond the far post was headed back into the danger zone by Tadanari Lee for Lambert to power home a perfectly executed volley.
‘Rickie’s goal was pure quality and it was a great header back to him by Tadanari Lee,’ purred Adkins.
But it was the only menacing attack the Championship leaders could fashion in a first period which saw them camped in their own half for long spells, with Leeds stringing together their passes but unable to make a breakthrough.
Nor did Leeds come under any sustained pressure after the interval. While Davis was in danger of exhaustion, Leeds keeper Andy Lonergan was a virtual spectator as Leeds fans in a crowd of more than 20,000 tried to will the ball into the net, but to no avail.
When the sides met in the opening game of the season Leeds were swept aside 3-1 but they have already shown a huge improvement during Warnock’s brief stewardship.
The Leeds manager felt his side should have had a first-half penalty when Jose Fonte raised his arm to block a left-wing cross from Snodgrass.
Warnock, tasting defeat in his first home game in charge, said: ‘You don’t always get what you deserve. It was a certain penalty when the lad raised his arm.
‘I spoke to the referee and he said he had never seen it, which is worrying. That performance has whetted my appetite.
‘I knew we had a vociferous crowd and we gave them something to get them going.
‘The way we played, with real style, was very pleasing but we should have done better with our chances. When you are top of the league, like Southampton, you tend to get the rub of the green.
‘We dominated the best team in the league for 89 minutes and you can’t ask for more than that, but we need wins.
‘We were punished for one bit of sloppiness when Darren O’Dea slipped at the wrong time and Lambert scored. Lambert would have had five or six goals if he had been playing for us!’
Leeds 0 Southampton 1: Davis keeps United at bay as Lambert powers Saints clear
By Steve Martyn
Nigel Adkins rated Kelvin Davis’s virtuoso goalkeeping among the best he had ever seen as
Championship leaders Southampton made it seven league games unbeaten.And new Leeds manager Neil Warnock confessed that Davis had ‘done enough to win five Man of the Match awards’.
Rickie Lambert’s classic smash-and-grab goal secured the three points but Leeds paid the price for failing to embellish their slick approach play with goals.
Davis was in unbeatable form and Saints manager Adkins said: ‘His performance was right up there with the best I have seen. He was outstanding.
‘In the first 15 minutes we were chasing shadows for whatever reason. We looked second best to a very good Leeds team but Kelvin made some fantastic saves.
‘We had to grind out a result because we were not at our best. We defended resolutely, showed real resolve and character and kept our sixth clean sheet in nine games, which is pleasing.
‘We have a lot of matches in March and April but we have a strong squad to cope with that.’
The woodwork came to Southampton’s rescue twice in rapid succession near the end from headers by Robert Snodgrass and Darren O’Dea and, in the immediate aftermath, Tom Lees shot wide.
Luciano Becchio hit a post and substitute Danny Webber was twice denied a debut goal by the magnificent Davis, who made himself Leeds’ Public Enemy No 1.
Lambert’s 20th league goal of the season and his 24th in all competitions arrived in the 16th minute.
Former Leeds defender Frazer Richardson created space on the right for Jack Cork. His deep cross to beyond the far post was headed back into the danger zone by Tadanari Lee for Lambert to power home a perfectly executed volley.
‘Rickie’s goal was pure quality and it was a great header back to him by Tadanari Lee,’ purred Adkins.
But it was the only menacing attack the Championship leaders could fashion in a first period which saw them camped in their own half for long spells, with Leeds stringing together their passes but unable to make a breakthrough.
Nor did Leeds come under any sustained pressure after the interval. While Davis was in danger of exhaustion, Leeds keeper Andy Lonergan was a virtual spectator as Leeds fans in a crowd of more than 20,000 tried to will the ball into the net, but to no avail.
When the sides met in the opening game of the season Leeds were swept aside 3-1 but they have already shown a huge improvement during Warnock’s brief stewardship.
The Leeds manager felt his side should have had a first-half penalty when Jose Fonte raised his arm to block a left-wing cross from Snodgrass.
Warnock, tasting defeat in his first home game in charge, said: ‘You don’t always get what you deserve. It was a certain penalty when the lad raised his arm.
‘I spoke to the referee and he said he had never seen it, which is worrying. That performance has whetted my appetite.
‘I knew we had a vociferous crowd and we gave them something to get them going.
‘The way we played, with real style, was very pleasing but we should have done better with our chances. When you are top of the league, like Southampton, you tend to get the rub of the green.
‘We dominated the best team in the league for 89 minutes and you can’t ask for more than that, but we need wins.
‘We were punished for one bit of sloppiness when Darren O’Dea slipped at the wrong time and Lambert scored. Lambert would have had five or six goals if he had been playing for us!’