Leeds United's Luke Murphy snatches win over Brighton & Hove Albion
Observer 3/8/13
Richard Rae at Elland Road
The capacity of a club with as wide a support base as Leeds United to regenerate itself should never be underestimated. The optimism engendered by the start of a new season, but more so by the end of the club's relationship with Ken Bates, ensured Elland Road was sold out for the first game of the season and that backing was rewarded when the new signing Luke Murphy slid the ball home from close range to win the game in the last minute of added time.
That it looked very much as though Murphy had handled in bringing Matt Smith's header under control before beating Tomasz Kuszczak made no difference as far as the Leeds manager, Brian McDermott, was concerned. "There was a dispute but there was about their goal too, which was a yard offside," he said. "The ball connected with his hand but whether it was hand to ball, I don't know."
The Brighton manager, Oscar García, who had seen Will Buckley fail to take a glorious chance a couple of minutes earlier, was impressively philosophical. "I didn't see it but everyone said, yes, it was handball but I can understand if the referee didn't see it," said the Spaniard.
Febrile atmosphere notwithstanding, it was Brighton who made the better start. Leonardo Ulloa, who scored nine goals in 16 league starts after joining the Seagulls from Almeria in January, was simply too strong for his marker, Tom Lees, who did not even make a challenge when the Argentinian drilled his first-time shot past the Leeds goalkeeper, Paddy Kenny.
Leeds had not really created a chance before they equalised on 19 minutes. Michael Tonge's deflected cross fell nicely for Ross McCormack to control and drive left-footed beyond Kuszczak, although the goalkeeper got a hand to the ball as it passed him.
Having established supremacy, Leeds kept it for the rest of the half and Murphy, with a shot from distance, and Noel Hunt, hooking a bouncing ball over the bar, went close to putting them ahead.
Defensively, however, Leeds continued to look vulnerable, and having made a fine save from Andrea Orlandi early in the game, Kenny had to be at his best again midway through the second half. Soon after replacing Ashley Barnes, Buckley got behind the Leeds left-back, Stephen Warnock, and squared for Andrew Crofts inside the area. After diving to his right to save, Kenny recovered in time to make a second block as Inigo Calderon tried to turn in the rebound at the far post.
Another substitute, the young Leeds striker Dominic Poleon, gave the home team another dimension going forward but although they put Brighton under increasing pressure, the visitors retained a defensive organisation and solidity that can only have pleased García.
Brighton looked certain to win the game when Kazenga LuaLua crossed but Kenny blocked Buckley's close-range header. Instead, it was Murphy who had the final word.
Richard Rae at Elland Road
The capacity of a club with as wide a support base as Leeds United to regenerate itself should never be underestimated. The optimism engendered by the start of a new season, but more so by the end of the club's relationship with Ken Bates, ensured Elland Road was sold out for the first game of the season and that backing was rewarded when the new signing Luke Murphy slid the ball home from close range to win the game in the last minute of added time.
That it looked very much as though Murphy had handled in bringing Matt Smith's header under control before beating Tomasz Kuszczak made no difference as far as the Leeds manager, Brian McDermott, was concerned. "There was a dispute but there was about their goal too, which was a yard offside," he said. "The ball connected with his hand but whether it was hand to ball, I don't know."
The Brighton manager, Oscar García, who had seen Will Buckley fail to take a glorious chance a couple of minutes earlier, was impressively philosophical. "I didn't see it but everyone said, yes, it was handball but I can understand if the referee didn't see it," said the Spaniard.
Febrile atmosphere notwithstanding, it was Brighton who made the better start. Leonardo Ulloa, who scored nine goals in 16 league starts after joining the Seagulls from Almeria in January, was simply too strong for his marker, Tom Lees, who did not even make a challenge when the Argentinian drilled his first-time shot past the Leeds goalkeeper, Paddy Kenny.
Leeds had not really created a chance before they equalised on 19 minutes. Michael Tonge's deflected cross fell nicely for Ross McCormack to control and drive left-footed beyond Kuszczak, although the goalkeeper got a hand to the ball as it passed him.
Having established supremacy, Leeds kept it for the rest of the half and Murphy, with a shot from distance, and Noel Hunt, hooking a bouncing ball over the bar, went close to putting them ahead.
Defensively, however, Leeds continued to look vulnerable, and having made a fine save from Andrea Orlandi early in the game, Kenny had to be at his best again midway through the second half. Soon after replacing Ashley Barnes, Buckley got behind the Leeds left-back, Stephen Warnock, and squared for Andrew Crofts inside the area. After diving to his right to save, Kenny recovered in time to make a second block as Inigo Calderon tried to turn in the rebound at the far post.
Another substitute, the young Leeds striker Dominic Poleon, gave the home team another dimension going forward but although they put Brighton under increasing pressure, the visitors retained a defensive organisation and solidity that can only have pleased García.
Brighton looked certain to win the game when Kazenga LuaLua crossed but Kenny blocked Buckley's close-range header. Instead, it was Murphy who had the final word.