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Leeds United 3 Grimsby Town 1: Laboured Leeds do enough to seal place in semi-finals
ONE of Simon Grayson's more recent predecessors as Leeds United manager once showed such indifference towards the competition exclusive to clubs in Leagues One and Two that he referred to it as "that St Johnstone Cup thing."
What the sponsors thought about Dennis Wise's flippant remark ahead of Leeds's debut in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy two years ago was never recorded but it is fair to say the present incumbent of the Elland Road dugout does not share the one-time England midfielder's disdain.
Grayson, well aware that a path to Wembley is there for the taking this season, named what was more or less his strongest possible line-up for the visit of League Two strugglers Grimsby Town.
To suggest he was rewarded with a five-star performance would be stretching things a tad as United laboured for long periods.
Nevertheless, Leeds did ease into the Northern Area semi-finals courtesy of a routine victory that included strikes from Neil Kilkenny and Jermaine Beckford plus an own goal by Mariners defender Olly Lancashire.
And with lowly Carlisle United being joined by Leeds and two clubs from the bottom division in this weekend's regional draw, Grayson's troops will have only themselves to blame if the final Sunday of March does not feature a trip to north London.
Not that anyone inside Elland Road last night for the opening 40 minutes would have put much credence in United's standing as the overwhelming favourites to reach Wembley.
Leeds were so laboured and lacking in urgency against a Grimsby side knocked out of the FA Cup first round by Bath City last Saturday that the home fans in the 10,430 crowd were reduced to finding their own entertainment.
It came in the form of Adrian Forbes, the Grimsby striker whose knowledge of the offside laws looked so suspect that the first half became a guessing game as to just how far offside he would be the next time the linesman in front of the East Stand was forced to raise his flag.
The 30-year-old former Millwall and Norwich City man set the tone early on by twice being caught a full 15 yards behind the last Leeds defender and his antics became so comical that by half-time the Gelderd End was chanting 'onside – you'll never be onside'.
Being so critical of the Mariners striker was cruel, especially as without him the first 40 minutes of last night's game would have been the dullest seen at Elland Road for some time.
Thankfully for the home fans, all that changed five minutes before the break when Max Gradel making potentially his last appearance of a loan spell that is due to end next week, collected the ball wide on the left.
The Leicester City wideman then looked up before drilling a low cross that took a wicked deflection off Lancashire's knee before flying past Nick Colgan.
The former Barnsley goalkeeper was helpless for United's opener and it was a similar story in first-half stoppage time when he was beaten for a second time.
This time, though, there was nothing fortunate about the goal with Kilkenny showing tremendous skill and poise to create sufficient space to squeeze a shot into the corner of the net from just outside the area.
Beckford added a third for Leeds 10 minutes after the restart, the club's top scorer cleverly touching the ball inside his marker before rolling a shot beyond the outstretched hand of Colgan.
Grimsby did, at least, gain some consolation for their efforts with the goal of the night almost immediately when Peter Sweeney, one of Wise's last signings as Leeds manager before quitting to join Newcastle, punished a weak punch by Casper Ankergren.
The ball fell kindly for the Scotland B international on the edge of the penalty area, though that was where luck gave way to skill as he unleashed an unstoppable drive that flew in off the underside of the crossbar.
Even former Leeds manager Wise might have felt it a goal worthy of gracing any cup competition.
Leeds United: Ankergren; Hughes, Naylor, Michalik, White; Snodgrass (Robinson 68), Kilkenny, Johnson (Prutton 81), Gradel; Beckford, Vokes (Showunmi 87). Unused substitutes: Jones, Bromby.
Grimsby Town: Colgan; Bore, Lancashire, Atkinson, McCrory; Clarke (Wood 77), Leary, Sweeney, Shahin; Forbes (Conlon 68), North (Akpro 57). Unused substitutes: Overton, Linwood.
Referee: N Swarbrick (Lancashire).
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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