Yorkshire Post 7/3/12
Dropped points will hurt Leeds more than rivals Hull
Hull City 0 Leeds Utd 0: This was a result that suited neither side.
On a night when sixth-placed Birmingham City
were otherwise engaged in the FA Cup, both Hull City and Leeds United were unable to claim the win that would have put real pressure on the Blues.
Instead, the Yorkshire rivals fought out a largely dull goalless draw in front of the KC Stadium’s biggest crowd of the season.
The Tigers had the better of the few chances that were created – particularly in the final 15 minutes of the first half when the visitors’ goal came under heavy pressure.
During that bombardment, Andy Lonergan proved to be the visitors’ saviour with a couple of vital stops to keep out Corry Evans and Cameron Stewart.
That brief spell apart, however, United were largely comfortable and, if anything, had the better of the second half as the Hull midfield tired.
Despite that, Leeds rarely looked like making the breakthrough to extend what has become a damaging run of results against the promotion chasing pack.
After being held to a second goalless draw in three outings under Neil Warnock, United have now claimed just one win – at home to the Tigers in August – in 13 meetings with teams sitting above them in the table this morning.
It is a record that explains why Leeds sit five points adrift of the top six and are struggling to force their way back into the promotion reckoning.
Hull’s position admittedly looks more encouraging, Nick Barmby’s side being just two points behind Birmingham and with enough fixtures remaining to make a real impact.
With 16 clean sheets to their name, Hull also boast the kind of defensive foundation that can make all the difference during a run-in when results have to be ground out.
The worry, however, is that the Tigers’ attack lacks sufficient cutting edge to claim the wins that will be needed to extend their season beyond April 28.
Last night’s shut-out against Leeds was the seventh time in 11 Championship outings that Barmby’s men have failed to score.
It is a worrying statistic and one that needs addressing sooner rather than later if the Tigers are not to blow what is still an excellent chance of winning a return to the Premier League.
The game had started slowly, it perhaps speaking volumes for the standard of entertainment on offer during the opening half-hour that the biggest cheer came when Luciano Becchio, in challenging Aaron Mclean on the touchline, managed to fire the ball over the East Stand roof.
Once the half had reached the final third, however, Hull did step up a gear to finally put the visitors under a concerted spell of pressure.
Stewart was the first to go close with a drive that flew over the top before Robert Koren tested Lonergan with a 20-yard shot that the Leeds goalkeeper did well to turn around a post.
Lonergan then had to deny Evans and Stewart in quick succession, the save from Evans in particular being of the highest quality as the Leeds goalkeeper not only blocked the low drive but also managed to divert the ball away from on-rushing Matty Fryatt.
The late onslaught from the Tigers meant Leeds were relieved to hear the half-time whistle, especially as their better moments had come in the opening exchanges.
Becchio and Robert Snodgrass both fired over during that early attacking spurt, while Adam Clayton and Danny Webber were guilty of not looking up to spot an unmarked team-mate when trying to forage through a mass of Hull bodies on their own.
The second half was a similarly ragged affair to the opening half-hour.
Both sides did produce plenty of endeavour in an attempt to make the all-important breakthrough.
They also both kept pressing to the very end in the hope that the elusive first goal of the night would arrive.
But, in truth, neither Hull nor Leeds did enough to warrant claiming all three points in a disappointing second half.
That is not to say they did not have the chances to do so. They did.
But, as with the opening 45 minutes, the type of quality finishing needed at Championship level was missing.
For Leeds, Ross McCormack created a decent opening for himself midway through the half only to shoot straight at Vito Mannone, while Adam Clayton had a half-volley blocked by Koren.
At the other end, Mclean wasted another decent chance by firing over before Paul McKenna drilled a low effort in stoppage time that Lonergan held at the second attempt.
It meant when the final whistle blew moments later that both Hull and Leeds had a point apiece for their efforts, a decent reward though one that hardly advances either side’s promotion chances to any real degree.
richard.sutcliffe@ypn.co.uk
Dropped points will hurt Leeds more than rivals Hull
Hull City 0 Leeds Utd 0: This was a result that suited neither side.
On a night when sixth-placed Birmingham City
were otherwise engaged in the FA Cup, both Hull City and Leeds United were unable to claim the win that would have put real pressure on the Blues.Instead, the Yorkshire rivals fought out a largely dull goalless draw in front of the KC Stadium’s biggest crowd of the season.
The Tigers had the better of the few chances that were created – particularly in the final 15 minutes of the first half when the visitors’ goal came under heavy pressure.
During that bombardment, Andy Lonergan proved to be the visitors’ saviour with a couple of vital stops to keep out Corry Evans and Cameron Stewart.
That brief spell apart, however, United were largely comfortable and, if anything, had the better of the second half as the Hull midfield tired.
Despite that, Leeds rarely looked like making the breakthrough to extend what has become a damaging run of results against the promotion chasing pack.
After being held to a second goalless draw in three outings under Neil Warnock, United have now claimed just one win – at home to the Tigers in August – in 13 meetings with teams sitting above them in the table this morning.
It is a record that explains why Leeds sit five points adrift of the top six and are struggling to force their way back into the promotion reckoning.
Hull’s position admittedly looks more encouraging, Nick Barmby’s side being just two points behind Birmingham and with enough fixtures remaining to make a real impact.
With 16 clean sheets to their name, Hull also boast the kind of defensive foundation that can make all the difference during a run-in when results have to be ground out.
The worry, however, is that the Tigers’ attack lacks sufficient cutting edge to claim the wins that will be needed to extend their season beyond April 28.
Last night’s shut-out against Leeds was the seventh time in 11 Championship outings that Barmby’s men have failed to score.
It is a worrying statistic and one that needs addressing sooner rather than later if the Tigers are not to blow what is still an excellent chance of winning a return to the Premier League.
The game had started slowly, it perhaps speaking volumes for the standard of entertainment on offer during the opening half-hour that the biggest cheer came when Luciano Becchio, in challenging Aaron Mclean on the touchline, managed to fire the ball over the East Stand roof.
Once the half had reached the final third, however, Hull did step up a gear to finally put the visitors under a concerted spell of pressure.
Stewart was the first to go close with a drive that flew over the top before Robert Koren tested Lonergan with a 20-yard shot that the Leeds goalkeeper did well to turn around a post.
Lonergan then had to deny Evans and Stewart in quick succession, the save from Evans in particular being of the highest quality as the Leeds goalkeeper not only blocked the low drive but also managed to divert the ball away from on-rushing Matty Fryatt.
The late onslaught from the Tigers meant Leeds were relieved to hear the half-time whistle, especially as their better moments had come in the opening exchanges.
Becchio and Robert Snodgrass both fired over during that early attacking spurt, while Adam Clayton and Danny Webber were guilty of not looking up to spot an unmarked team-mate when trying to forage through a mass of Hull bodies on their own.
The second half was a similarly ragged affair to the opening half-hour.
Both sides did produce plenty of endeavour in an attempt to make the all-important breakthrough.
They also both kept pressing to the very end in the hope that the elusive first goal of the night would arrive.
But, in truth, neither Hull nor Leeds did enough to warrant claiming all three points in a disappointing second half.
That is not to say they did not have the chances to do so. They did.
But, as with the opening 45 minutes, the type of quality finishing needed at Championship level was missing.
For Leeds, Ross McCormack created a decent opening for himself midway through the half only to shoot straight at Vito Mannone, while Adam Clayton had a half-volley blocked by Koren.
At the other end, Mclean wasted another decent chance by firing over before Paul McKenna drilled a low effort in stoppage time that Lonergan held at the second attempt.
It meant when the final whistle blew moments later that both Hull and Leeds had a point apiece for their efforts, a decent reward though one that hardly advances either side’s promotion chances to any real degree.
richard.sutcliffe@ypn.co.uk
