Coventry City 2 Leeds United 1: Joel Piroe fluffs his chance as Whites push their luck once too often — Yorkshire Post 6/4/24

Leeds United pushed their luck once too often to suffer their first Championship defeat of 2024 at Coventry City, and drop out of the automatic promotion places with just five games to play.

By Stuart Rayner

Joel Piroe, signed at great expense in autumn to be the difference in front of goal scored a predator's strike to set up a nerve-shredding finish but fluffed his stoppage-time chance to equalise in it.

As he did, Leicester City were coming from behind to beat relegation-threatened Birmingham City and leapfrog Leeds in the standings with a game in hand.

Everything was going the Whites' way in the build-up - Ilia Gruev back in the starting line-up, Willy Gnonto and Connor Roberts unexpectedly on the bench, Ipswich Town losing their "Old Farm" derby to Norwich City.

But having taken four points from two below-par Easter performances, they were unable to push their luck any further agatnst FA Cup semi-finalists Coventry, who have promotion pretentions of their own.

When Piroe stabbed into the net after 76 minutes it looked like redemption after he was embarrassed by having the ball taken off him as he prepared to take a penalty on Monday - made a game of it.

But when he was played through in the third added minute his shot was weak and straight at goalkeeper Brad Collins.

Leeds started the game confidently enough in an open start to the game which defied Leeds manager Daniel Farke's pre-match predictions.

Gruev had a shot blocked, and the same happened to crosses by Georginio Rutter and Dan James. Ethan Ampadu came across for one of his imperious defensive interventions to deny Ellis Simms a sight of goal.

But things started to go to pot in the eighth minute as Coventry broke from their own penalty area, Haji Wright forcing a near-post save from Ilan Meslier.

The goalkeeper lacked authority from the resulting corner, as did his central defenders as the ball bounced around. Bobby Thomas hooked it in for his former Barnsley team-mate Liam Kitching to head on and the in-form Simms did the rest, finding the net for the 14th tie in 11 games.

It seemed to rattle Leeds, even with their midfield insurance policy Gruev back.

Minutes later Meslier had to save with his feet as Callum O'Hare sliced through the back line with a one-two.

Kasey Palmer shot a Luke Bidwell cross into a defender, then put another effort straight at the goalkeeper after Junior Firpo's poor header had handed the ball back.

It took around a quarter of an hour for Leeds to clear their heads, Patrick Bamford taking his time looking for a gap to shoot into after being played through by Archie Gray, but failing to find it.

Firpo's cross a couple of minutes later was begging to be put in but from yards out, Bamford could not get the decisive touch he needed.

And even when Leeds looked dangerous, Coventry's counter-attacking threat was always there.

Simms volleyed wide after Wright won another ball bouncing around in the gusty wind and Firpo needed to make a good clearing header from Bidwell's cross.

In between time Joe Rodon screamed his frustration at his team-mates after being forced into a slide tackle.

So it was no surprise Coventry doubled their lead from a Leeds free-kick.

Crysencio Summerville delivered a dipping ball Rodon won but Coventry picked up the pieces and broke down the right through Josh Eccles, who crossed a lovely ball for Haji Wright - switched to the left at the interval - to tap in after 50 minutes.

Farke was quicker with his changes than usual, recognising the urgency. First Gray was moved into the engine room of a 4-2-3-1 at half-time and soon afterwards he was left to anchor a 4-1-3-2 as Piroe and Mateo Joseph were introduced.

The latter had a shot blocked after a lovely turn a minute before the latter poked in a touch from Rutter with minimal backlift. There were 76 minutes on the clock.

Collins had been warned about time-wasting minutes before and with the hosts clinging onto their lead, the rest of the game was largely played in their final third but without a barrage of chances.

Piroe failed to get hold of a shot after playing a one-two with Joseph, and Collins - another former Oakwell player - was able to get down to it. Rutter was off balance and off target when Roberts pulled the ball back and Piroe was well over when the ball was worked to him in the 87th minute.

But it was the stoppage-time chance which was his moment, and he fluffed it.

All is far from lost, but a tight promotion race just got that bit harder.