Leeds United 2 Brighton & HA 1: Murphy in an ideal start as fans flock back home - Yorkshire Post 5/8/13
by Richard Sutcliffe
at Elland Road
RESULTS on the opening weekend have not proved too reliable a gauge as to how a season will pan out for Leeds United down the years.
Twelve months ago, for instance, what had appeared a hugely encouraging 1-0 win over a newly-relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers still featuring £8m winger Matt Jarvis served merely as a prelude to a miserable campaign, with the club seemingly sleepwalking into trouble at the wrong end of the Championship until the late arrival of Brian McDermott.
Likewise, the relegation season of 2006-07, when Norwich City were beaten at Elland Road on the opening weekend, was hardly a clue as to things to come. Delving even further back in time, the promotion season of 1989-90 started with a 5-2 thrashing for Howard Wilkinson’s side at Newcastle United.
However, even allowing for those wholly misleading opening day results, it was difficult to leave LS11 in the wake of Luke Murphy’s dramatic “94th-minute” winner without feeling a lot more optimistic about Leeds’ chances of making an impact this term than had been the case just a few hours earlier.
Okay, Brighton could consider themselves unfortunate to return south empty-handed. With the game finely balanced at 1-1, the Seagulls had twice been denied from regaining the lead only by the heroics of Paddy Kenny in the home goal.
But, considering the manner of United’s display against a side who reached last season’s play-offs and the highly-charged atmosphere that had propelled Brian McDermott’s men forward all afternoon, this felt like a victory that, in time, could be worth a lot more than three points.
Certainly, if the fans who had snapped up the last remaining tickets in the morning – the crowd was over 33,000 – can be persuaded to make Elland Road their home again, then Leeds’ chances of ending a decade-long exile from the Premier League cannot be dismissed out of hand.
Of course, McDermott still needs reinforcements. A dominant centre-half and some much-needed pace would do very nicely, indeed. So, too, would a proven striker capable of delivering 20 goals a season if Ross McCormack is to continue playing in a deeper role than the one that led to him ending 2011-12 as United’s top scorer.
But, even so, there was plenty to build on from a win that means Leeds have been beaten just twice on the opening day in 23 years.
“There was a real positive energy around Elland Road that we could all sense the moment we came out,” said Murphy, who in becoming United’s first £1m signing in seven years during the summer had helped fuel the feelgood vibes evident in the stands against Brighton.
“The manager drilled it into us during the warm-up that we had to really put on a show for all those fans who had turned out. They were definitely the 12th man and made all the difference.
“I won’t say the noise or atmosphere took me by surprise. Everyone knows what Elland Road is famous for and that is the fans.
“But what I won’t ever forget is walking out and listening to the fans. They really helped us put in what I thought was a first-class performance.
“Everyone played their part and worked their socks off. To me, it was a perfect start to the season.”
The afternoon may have ended happily but familiar failings were evident early on with Brighton taking just 13 minutes to open the scoring.
Leonardo Ulloa was the scorer, the Argentinian showing commendable strength to get across Tom Lees and stab Bruno Saltor’s cross past Kenny from close range.
The United goalkeeper had already rescued his side once by that stage with a full-length save to keep out a swerving shot from Andrea Orlandi so the omens did not look too good.
All that changed, however, when Matthew Upson could only divert Michael Tonge’s cross to McCormack and the Scot did the rest with a typically predatory finish to beat Tomasz Kuszczak.
Murphy then had a couple of long-range attempts that flew wide before the break, and Noel Hunt shot over after turning smartly in the penalty area.
After such an entertaining first half, more of the same was expected after the restart but, instead, the 33,432 crowd had to wait until the 66th minute for the game to spark back into life.
First, Kenny denied Brighton with a fantastic double save that left both Andrew Crofts and Inigo Calderon scratching their heads in frustration. Stung into life, Leeds raced up the other end and Dominic Poleon fired wide following good link-play between Tonge and McCormack.
The United substitute then mis-timed an inviting header as the hosts continued to press before bringing a fine save from Kuszczak in the final minute that Paul Green followed by firing wildly over seconds later.
With Green’s miss coming in the final minute of normal time, it seemed honours would end even. However, there was not only sufficient time for Kenny to pull off another vital save to keep out Will Buckley’s header but also for one last dramatic act as Murphy latched on to Matt Smith’s knock-down to net the winner.
As the summer signing ran towards the home fans, Brighton appealed in vain for a handball as Elland Road celebrated a victory that, regardless of how the rest of the season pans out, will not be forgotten in a hurry.
Certainly not by Murphy, who emulated his full debut for Crewe by getting on the scoresheet. “It was the perfect start to my Leeds career,” said the 24-year-old, whose first goal in a Railwaymen shirt came in a 4-1 win over Hartlepool. “I didn’t quite dream my debut like that. Instead, the winner was a screaming 40-yarder. But this will definitely do.
“Not many people had seen me play so I was eager to show what I can do and impress the Leeds fans. I hope I did that.”
RESULTS on the opening weekend have not proved too reliable a gauge as to how a season will pan out for Leeds United down the years.
Twelve months ago, for instance, what had appeared a hugely encouraging 1-0 win over a newly-relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers still featuring £8m winger Matt Jarvis served merely as a prelude to a miserable campaign, with the club seemingly sleepwalking into trouble at the wrong end of the Championship until the late arrival of Brian McDermott.
Likewise, the relegation season of 2006-07, when Norwich City were beaten at Elland Road on the opening weekend, was hardly a clue as to things to come. Delving even further back in time, the promotion season of 1989-90 started with a 5-2 thrashing for Howard Wilkinson’s side at Newcastle United.
However, even allowing for those wholly misleading opening day results, it was difficult to leave LS11 in the wake of Luke Murphy’s dramatic “94th-minute” winner without feeling a lot more optimistic about Leeds’ chances of making an impact this term than had been the case just a few hours earlier.
Okay, Brighton could consider themselves unfortunate to return south empty-handed. With the game finely balanced at 1-1, the Seagulls had twice been denied from regaining the lead only by the heroics of Paddy Kenny in the home goal.
But, considering the manner of United’s display against a side who reached last season’s play-offs and the highly-charged atmosphere that had propelled Brian McDermott’s men forward all afternoon, this felt like a victory that, in time, could be worth a lot more than three points.
Certainly, if the fans who had snapped up the last remaining tickets in the morning – the crowd was over 33,000 – can be persuaded to make Elland Road their home again, then Leeds’ chances of ending a decade-long exile from the Premier League cannot be dismissed out of hand.
Of course, McDermott still needs reinforcements. A dominant centre-half and some much-needed pace would do very nicely, indeed. So, too, would a proven striker capable of delivering 20 goals a season if Ross McCormack is to continue playing in a deeper role than the one that led to him ending 2011-12 as United’s top scorer.
But, even so, there was plenty to build on from a win that means Leeds have been beaten just twice on the opening day in 23 years.
“There was a real positive energy around Elland Road that we could all sense the moment we came out,” said Murphy, who in becoming United’s first £1m signing in seven years during the summer had helped fuel the feelgood vibes evident in the stands against Brighton.
“The manager drilled it into us during the warm-up that we had to really put on a show for all those fans who had turned out. They were definitely the 12th man and made all the difference.
“I won’t say the noise or atmosphere took me by surprise. Everyone knows what Elland Road is famous for and that is the fans.
“But what I won’t ever forget is walking out and listening to the fans. They really helped us put in what I thought was a first-class performance.
“Everyone played their part and worked their socks off. To me, it was a perfect start to the season.”
The afternoon may have ended happily but familiar failings were evident early on with Brighton taking just 13 minutes to open the scoring.
Leonardo Ulloa was the scorer, the Argentinian showing commendable strength to get across Tom Lees and stab Bruno Saltor’s cross past Kenny from close range.
The United goalkeeper had already rescued his side once by that stage with a full-length save to keep out a swerving shot from Andrea Orlandi so the omens did not look too good.
All that changed, however, when Matthew Upson could only divert Michael Tonge’s cross to McCormack and the Scot did the rest with a typically predatory finish to beat Tomasz Kuszczak.
Murphy then had a couple of long-range attempts that flew wide before the break, and Noel Hunt shot over after turning smartly in the penalty area.
After such an entertaining first half, more of the same was expected after the restart but, instead, the 33,432 crowd had to wait until the 66th minute for the game to spark back into life.
First, Kenny denied Brighton with a fantastic double save that left both Andrew Crofts and Inigo Calderon scratching their heads in frustration. Stung into life, Leeds raced up the other end and Dominic Poleon fired wide following good link-play between Tonge and McCormack.
The United substitute then mis-timed an inviting header as the hosts continued to press before bringing a fine save from Kuszczak in the final minute that Paul Green followed by firing wildly over seconds later.
With Green’s miss coming in the final minute of normal time, it seemed honours would end even. However, there was not only sufficient time for Kenny to pull off another vital save to keep out Will Buckley’s header but also for one last dramatic act as Murphy latched on to Matt Smith’s knock-down to net the winner.
As the summer signing ran towards the home fans, Brighton appealed in vain for a handball as Elland Road celebrated a victory that, regardless of how the rest of the season pans out, will not be forgotten in a hurry.
Certainly not by Murphy, who emulated his full debut for Crewe by getting on the scoresheet. “It was the perfect start to my Leeds career,” said the 24-year-old, whose first goal in a Railwaymen shirt came in a 4-1 win over Hartlepool. “I didn’t quite dream my debut like that. Instead, the winner was a screaming 40-yarder. But this will definitely do.
“Not many people had seen me play so I was eager to show what I can do and impress the Leeds fans. I hope I did that.”