Leeds United 1 Wycombe Wanderers 1: Leeds are caught cold as Wycombe rewarded

BEFORE setting off on what turned out to be an often difficult trek north to Yorkshire, Wycombe Wanderers manager Gary Waddock had taken a swipe at the Football League for not cancelling the full weekend programme of games.

The 47-year-old's reasoning was that as the snow and ice that has left Britain shivering since the turn of the year had made even getting out of his own cul-de-sac at home hazardous, asking the Chairboys to make a 400-mile round trip to Elland Road was too much.

By the final whistle, however, Waddock's thinking had dramatically changed after his Wycombe side had dug out a great result to halt Leeds United's promotion charge.

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All the effort that had gone in to making the trip had been made worthwhile by a hugely impressive performance that made a mockery of the club's position near the foot of League One.

Even falling behind after just 190 seconds to a speculative effort from Jonny Howson could not deter a gutsy Wycombe outfit who claimed only their seventh point on the road this season courtesy of a 63rd-minute equaliser by Jon-Paul Pittman.

If anything, the visitors deserved to leave a snowbound West Yorkshire with all three points after twice hitting the woodwork and creating a host of clear-cut chances against a Leeds team that seemed drained by the exertions of knocking Manchester United out of the FA Cup the previous weekend.

Waddock said: "As all the fixtures were being called off on Thursday and Friday last week, I thought the most sensible thing would be to cancel the whole programme.

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"Our players had a hell of a job just to get out of their houses to reach the pick-up points but we managed to get to Leeds and I am delighted we did as that was a great performance.

"We took the game to Leeds and it was not a fluke result. I am hugely proud of my players."

Waddock's pride was understandable after the manner in which his side had set about a Leeds team who knew victory would open up an 11-point gap on third-placed Charlton Athletic due to the Londoners' home game with Hartlepool United having been one of 10 fixtures in League One to fall victim to the arctic weather.

Leeds simply had no answer to Tom Doherty in central midfield with the Northern Ireland international driving the visitors forward so effectively that neither Neil Kilkenny nor Michael Doyle will look back on this game with any fondness. Wycombe's dominance in the middle of the field together with the imperious form of Adam Hinshelwood at the back meant the United attack had to feed on scraps.

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Even so, the performance of Jermaine Beckford will have done little to increase the value of a striker whose goal at Old Trafford has led to a number of other suitors joining Newcastle in the chase for his signature.

Beckford had one decent chance on 10 minutes when Bradley Johnson's cross landed in his path only for the in-demand frontman to lamely prod the ball over the crossbar from close range.

The club's top scorer was by no means alone in being ineffective, however, with even going ahead so early in the game courtesy of Howson's 20-yard shot deceiving Scott Shearer in the visitors' goal failing to lift United's efforts above anything but ordinary.

Instead, it was the visitors who quickly wrestled back the initiative with Pittman serving warning of their attacking intent just three minutes after Howson's goal with a stinging left-foot drive that crashed against the post.

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Further misfortune followed for the League One strugglers on 11 minutes when Scott Davies' corner evaded two Leeds defenders and Casper Ankergren before again hitting the woodwork and bouncing to safety.

Ankergren was then called into action by Stuart Beavon, the Danish goalkeeper doing well to beat away a stinging drive, before Davies and John Mousinho wasted excellent chances.

That Leeds were able to go in at the break still ahead was incredibly fortuitous but, as the second half kicked off, it seemed no lessons had been learned as Wycombe were again allowed to seize control.

The visitors' reward finally arrived on 63 minutes when a wonderfully flighted pass by Davies allowed Pittman to scamper clear of the United defence before drilling a low shot across Ankergren and into the net.

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It was no more than Wycombe deserved and their afternoon almost got even better with 19 minutes remaining when more sloppy Leeds play allowed Beavon to race towards the byline on the right flank.

He then looked up before drilling a low cross intended for Matt Harrold that United just managed to bundle clear in time to ensure their unbeaten run at home in the league was extended past the 12-month mark.

It is a notable achievement, though one that any of the 24,383 crowd shivering inside Elland Road on Saturday will know was sealed more by luck than judgment.

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Tom Doherty

Did to the Leeds midfield exactly what they had done to their Manchester United counterparts a week earlier with an outstanding display. His tenacity and control on the ball meant Neil Kilkenny and Michael Doyle had by far their least effective display as a duo in the centre of midfield. Adam Hinshelwood ran him close as the game's standout performer with an impressive display at the heart of the Wycombe defence but Doherty just edged it.

Villain: Bradley Johnson

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It didn't matter what the Leeds United man tried to do, the ball would just not run his way. Countless passes found an opponent, while his defending at left-back was far from secure. Usually a reliable performer for Leeds but there was little surprise when Simon Grayson eventually replaced Johnson with Aidan White for the final 14 minutes of the match.

Key moment:

63rd minute: The home side could not say they had not been warned about Wycombe's attacking intent when they grabbed a deserved equaliser. Only the woodwork and some good fortune on Leeds' part had kept the visitors at bay before JP Pittman latched on to a perfectly weighted ball over the top of the Leeds defence to race clear and score.

Ref watch:

David Webb: Not the best name for an official when in charge of a Leeds United game, but the namesake of the former Chelsea defender had a good game in charge. Rightly, he only booked Lewis Hunt during the first half for bringing down Jermaine Beckford, the official ignoring calls from the home fans to send the defender off for a professional foul despite there being two other Wycombe players in close proximity. Webb also ensured tempers boiling over in the closing stages did not result in a melee.

Verdict

Leeds, so impressive the previous week in knocking Manchester United out of the FA Cup, were certainly the happier of the two sets of players upon hearing the final whistle. Second-bottom Wycombe Wanderers had produced a hugely impressive display. How the Chairboys can perform like this and yet be deep in relegation trouble was a mystery to the 24,383 crowd.

Quote of the day

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Stand up, if you beat Man U... Stand up, if you beat Man U...

– A clever re-working of an old terrace favourite by the home fans still celebrating the previous weekend's FA Cup shock at Old Trafford.

Next game

Exeter City v Leeds United; Saturday, January 16; League One, 3pm.