Leeds United 1-0 Sheffield United: Derby joy for Leeds but match fails to hit right note

For much of this dreary and disappointing Yorkshire derby, the sentiment about getting as far away as possible from Elland Road was surely shared by many in the Football League's highest crowd of the season.

But, then, just when the 75th meeting between these two old rivals seemed set to peter out into an equally unremarkable finale, the game suddenly sprang into life.

Perhaps fittingly, considering some of the dross that had been served up over the previous 84 minutes, it was a mistake that led to the winning goal.

The unfortunate miscreant was Stephen Jordan, the left-back being guilty of an horrendous fresh-air kick on half-way when attempting to deal with an apparently aimless clearance out of defence by Leeds.

It allowed Robert Snodgrass, making his first appearance at Elland Road since May following an injury-plagued start to the season, to race clear before cleverly rolling a pass into the path of Bradley Johnson who finished from close range.

Now behind, the Blades belatedly cast aside their caution to hunt an equaliser and, at last, the 33,622 crowd had a contest to savour.

Robert Snodgrass's 89th minute dismissal for blocking a run by Leon Britton – the Scot's second booking of the afternoon after earlier being cautioned for not retreating ten yards at a free-kick – further cranked up the tension and noise levels.

Jon Ertl then headed a Nick Montgomery centre against the crossbar after a clever free-kick routine had caught the home defence flat-footed, Shane Higgs being equally relieved to see the follow-up from Richard Cresswell land safely in his hands.

Even then, there was still time for one last dramatic twist as referee Anthony Taylor evened up the numbers by dismissing Jamie Ward for what he deemed to be an over-the-top tackle on Neil Kilkenny.

Such a thrilling finale to an otherwise wretched game of football underlined just why the Championship is considered the most unpredictable league of all.

It is also why very few teams can be written off when it comes to trying to predict who is going to be capable of sustaining a promotion campaign, a point Blades manager Gary Speed alluded to afterwards.

He said: "Apart from QPR, I think the division is there for the taking. I think more than half of the teams will think they can win promotion.

"It is the little details that will be the difference between winning and losing. Unfortunately, the little detail against Leeds was what we didn't get right and is why we lost."

Defeat marked an unhappy return to Elland Road for Speed, who had been in the last Leeds side to beat the Blades on home soil in 1993.

The afternoon had started promisingly for the 41-year-old with it taking a little over a minute for his side to create the first opening when Stephen Quinn was fouled by Luciano Becchio and Ched Evans struck the resulting free-kick into the wall.

Unfortunately for the visitors, that was as close as they got to breaching the home defence in the rest of a truly awful first half.

Leeds were little better, carving out just one decent opening of their own as Bradley Johnson brought an acrobatic save from Steve Simonsen on 28 minutes after being picked out by Max Gradel.

It was a similar story after the break with neither side looking remotely capable of breaking the other down.

That was, however, until Jordan's costly late slip.

Blades defender Kyle Bartley said: "The result was devastating. To concede in any game hurts but with it being a derby it makes it even worse.

"We came so close to digging out a result. It was heart-breaking to lose."

For Leeds, Johnson's late strike meant a trio of back-to-back derby encounters ended happily following the abject surrender of their 5-2 defeat at Barnsley and a battling goalless draw at Doncaster Rovers.

It was also enough to nudge Simon Grayson's side back into the play-off places as they continue to adjust admirably to life back in the second tier after three years in the League One wilderness.

Whether the Elland Road club will still be in the Championship's top six come the season's end, only time will tell.

But their match-winner against the Blades believes there is at least one factor in the club's favour now that Leeds are back in the Championship.

Johnson said: "It helps that we are not the team to beat, which was what we were last season. We were favourites to go up and that made it hard.

"But this year there are a lot of big teams in this league. It means we are not everyone's cup final and that is going to help us.

"We are not setting ourselves any targets or anything like that, though if we do manage to get a play-off spot we will be over the moon."

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Neill Collins

When a game is as poor as this, central defenders inevitably shine and Collins did just that with a no-nonsense display at the heart of the Leeds back four. Was a tower of strength throughout.

Villain: Stephen Jordan

Marred an otherwise decent game with the sort of howler that gives defenders sleepless nights as his fresh-air kick allowed Leeds to break and net what turned out to be the winner.

Key moment

84th minute: There seemed little danger as another long ball was hoofed out of the Leeds defence towards Stephen Jordan, only for the defender to miss the ball and allow Robert Snodgrass to race clear and square for Bradley Johnson to score.

Ref watch

Anthony Taylor: Had a quiet game until the final stages when a flurry of questionable decisions culminated in red cards for Robert Snodgrass and Jamie Ward.

Verdict

Until the 84th minute, this was a contender for worst game of the season only to then spark into life once Leeds had gone ahead. On the balance of play, the Blades could feel hard done by to return south without any reward.

Quote of the day

I feel as if the referee has conned me.

– Robert Snodgrass doesn't mince his words afterwards when asked about his red card.

Next game

Leeds United v Preston North End; Tomorrow, 7.45pm; Championship.

Nottingham Forest v Sheffield Utd; Tomorrow, 7.45pm; Championship.

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