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Leeds 2 Bournemouth 0: Johnson and Kilkenny give Whites victory
CONSIDERING Leeds United are battling to overturn a 15-point penalty imposed by the Football League, there was a certain irony in the fact that their own match-day programme inadvertently listed the result of their previous fixture, a 1-0 triumph at Swindon Town, as a 1-1 draw – a victory that ended a sequence of seven league games without a win.Road.
Yet the outcome of next month's arbitration hearing into that points deduction could yet prove irrelevant should Leeds maintain the momentum generated by two successive victories and clean sheets, a mini-revival that has lifted them to within one point and one place of the play-offs.
Gary McAllister's first home win as manager did not quite yield the type of polished performance expected against a Bournemouth team hopelessly marooned in the relegation mire.
But it did extend Leeds's unbeaten run to five matches following an alarming slump that might have left any Martian dropping in on Elland Road to wonder whether the club were chasing those 15 points for an altogether different reason.
Leeds gave a classic example of how to "win ugly" in overcoming opponents who paid a heavy price for their profligacy in front of goal; indeed, neither McAllister nor his players could have had too many complaints had Bournemouth actually won this game, seeing as they created the majority of clear-cut openings.
Leeds were allowed to progress more comfortably than should have been the case to a first home win since January 5, but the acquisition of another three points at home to Cheltenham tomorrow would send them with good cheer into the final 10 matches of the season – regardless of whether the 15-point deficit is quashed.
As arbitration day looms ever closer, with the hearing set for the week commencing April 14, Leeds chairman Ken Bates used his programme notes to launch a strong attack on the Football League's lawyers.
"At every opportunity, in writing, they rubbish our case, tell us that it has no merit and try to bully us on the conduct of the case," wrote Bates.
"We are not responding – any missive received from them reveals inconsistencies of their argument and gives us greater confidence.
"There is only one thing that puzzles me. If they are so confident of their case to be verging on the edge of cockiness, why won't they agree to having the hearing in public, so that the whole world can see the Leeds upstarts being humiliated?"
While the debate rumbles on, the mood among the Leeds players is clear: they are not prepared to gamble on the tribunal going in the club's favour and are instead budgeting for a worst-case scenario.
Bradley Johnson, who scored his first goal for Leeds in the 11th minute before Neil Kilkenny followed suit with his first goal for the club on 63, spoke for the squad when he said: "No-one in the dressing room is thinking about the 15-point appeal. We just need to go out and perform every day as we did against Bournemouth.
"We feel that we've put our bad run behind us and it's all about what we do from now on as a squad of players – not about what happens off the field."
It was a satisfying day for Johnson. Not only did he open his Leeds account when capitalising on a goalkeeping blunder by David Forde, who allowed him to walk the ball into an empty net from six yards after making a complete pig's ear of dealing with a hopeful punt forward by David Prutton, but McAllister compared him to Gary Speed – albeit a trifle tenuously.
"There's been a lot of times when I've watched Bradley, particularly when he's in aerial battles and climbing above people, when he reminds me of Gary Speed," said McAllister.
"I feel Bradley can score goals. He's maybe a central midfielder playing wide, but we feel at the moment that he is our most accomplished player on the left-hand side and I've tried to impress upon him that he can get goals from there and a lot of the play."
Johnson seemed thrilled by the comparison. "I'll take that!" he laughed. "It's always good for the team if the midfielders can chip in with a few goals, and that's what I'm looking to do."
If Johnson's goal was simplicity exemplified, Kilkenny's fell into a more memorable category. Teed-up by Jonny Howson on the edge of the area, he arrowed a stylish drive into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
"I thought Neil's was an excellent take," enthused McAllister. "He showed good disguise, gave the keeper the eyes and just wrong-footed him. Neil is a player I've wanted in the team since I arrived. He's a footballer, good on the ball and a guy who can make things happen."
It looked as though it might be a facile victory for Leeds following Johnson's opener, but Bournemouth refused to lie down, charging forward at every opportunity.
In front of former Leeds chairman Gerald Krasner, who is now handling Bournemouth's administration, the visitors often threatened through striker Sam Vokes and winger Max-Alain Gradel, who both did everything except put the ball in the back of the net.
Vokes shot wide of a vacant target on 17 minutes following a mistake by goalkeeper Casper Ankergren, and Gradel fired wastefully over the bar on the half-hour. Both players missed further chances after the interval.
McAllister threw on new loan signing Dougie Freedman for the last 20 minutes, but there was little opportunity for the striker to impress.
Leeds United: Ankergren; Kenton, Marques, Michalik, Richardson; Kilkenny (Freedman 69), Howson (Hughes 85), Prutton, Johnson; Beckford, Kandol (Elding 90). Unused substitutes: Lucas, Huntington.
Bournemouth: Forde; Young, Gowling, Pearce, Cummings; Bartley (Pitman 73), Hollands, Cooper, Gradel, Kuffour; Vokes. Unused substitutes: Pryce, Hutchings, McQuoid, Partington.
Referee: R Shoebridge (Derbyshire).MATCH FOCUS
HERO
David Prutton: Becoming increasingly influential in the United midfield. Attacked and defended with gusto in an energetic, box-to-box display.
VILLAIN
David Forde: Indecision cost Bournemouth dear when slow to react to Prutton's long ball into the area, allowing Johnson to steer the ball home.
KEY MOMENT
11th minute: Johnson's goal set the tone on a day when little went right for the visiting side. Goalkeeper Forde was making his debut on an emergency loan from Cardiff.
REF WATCH
Rob Shoebridge: Fairly anonymous, which is usually a good sign for the man in black. Went about his business with a modicum of fuss.
ENTERTAINMENT
Six out of 10: Not a rip-snorter by any stretch of the imagination, but hardly a shocker either. There were some decent chances at both ends but a lack of quality finishing.
VERDICT
Leeds won few accolades for artistic merit, but they strengthened their promotion challenge. Will need to defend better against sides with better cutting edge.
NEXT GAME
Tomorrow (7.45pm), League One, Cheltenham, home. Leeds will be aiming to avenge a 1-0 defeat.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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