Brighton 2 Leeds Utd 0: United appear jaded as fine start to year halted

Head coach Neil Redfearn saw his Leeds United side put in a tired-looking display at Brighton.

Leeds United saw their impressive start to 2015 falter as Brighton chalked up successive home wins for the first time in a year after goals in each half from Sam Baldock and Inigo Calderon.

United’s hopes of forcing a sixth win in the last seven games were dashed as the Seagulls built on their 4-3 win over Birmingham in convincing fashion.

Leeds boasted 15 points from a possible 18 since the start of January going into the game but seemed somewhat jaded at times.

United’s Charlie Taylor thwarted Brighton striker Craig Mackail-Smith before Rodolph Austin fired narrowly wide of goalkeeper David Stockdale’s left-hand post from the edge of the area.

Joao Teixeira should have put the Seagulls ahead in the 14th minute but he put a free header wide.

But Brighton broke the deadlock on 26 minutes when striker Sam Baldock scored only his fourth goal of the season. He shot home from the edge of the six-yard box after Teixeira had released Calderon down the right.

Brighton had a slice of luck just before the break when Sol Bamba, well placed in front of goal, sliced his attempt on goal following a corner by Luke Murphy.

Leeds had a let-off when, from a strong run by Beram Kayal, Calderon’s cross just eluded Baldock.

United goalkeeper Marco Silvestri had to dive smartly to smother a goal-bound shot from Mackail-Smith and produced two saves in the space of two minutes to deny Teixeira, before Calderon made it 2-0 after 63 minutes.

Teixeira released Kayal and, when his goal-bound effort was parried by Silvestri, the ball rebounded to Calderon who scored from point-blank range.

Brighton goalkeeper Stockdale pulled off a fine save to deny substitute Souleymane Doukara from registering a consolation goal, while Silvestri denied Dale Stephens. Teixeira was also denied a goal by the woodwork in stoppage time, his rasping low shot coming back off the base of Silvestri’s right-hand post.

Brighton: Stockdale, Saltor, Greer, Dunk, Bennett, Ince, Kayal (Stephens 73), Calderon, Teixeira, Baldock (LuaLua 76), Mackail-Smith (O’Grady 81). Unused substitutes: Hughes, Best, Walton, Ledesma.

Leeds: Silvestri, Wootton, Bamba, Cooper, Charlie Taylor, Murphy, Cook, Sloth (Antenucci 59), Austin, Mowatt (Doukara 74), Morison (Cani 50). Unused substitutes: Sharp, Berardi, Stuart Taylor, Del Fabro.

Referee: F Graham (Essex).