Leeds United 3 Crystal Palace 2: Patience pays off as McCormack finally earns himself hero status

Nine months after having what he still considers to be a vital goal against Crystal Palace chalked off and instead credited to Luciano Becchio, Ross McCormack finally got to savour the feeling of playing a pivotal role in helping Leeds United claim all three points against the Eagles.

And he couldn’t have been happier, not least as his 85th-minute strike was enough to propel the Elland Road club into the top half of the Championship.

McCormack actually had the distinction of both opening and ending the scoring against Palace in what was an absorbing contest but there was no doubt that it was his late winner that brought the most satisfaction.

“It is funny because last season we were in a similar position against Palace,” said the 25-year-old to the Yorkshire Post after taking his goal tally for the season to six.

“Back then, we were also losing before Luciano (Becchio) equalised. I thought it was me who scored but Luciano was given it.

“He is the hero so maybe it wasn’t a surprise that everyone gave it to him. But I thought I’d scored.

“I am just happy now that I got there in the end and scored the winner against Palace this season. And yes, it was worth the wait.”

McCormack’s delight at netting Saturday’s decider was understandable, the finish having been of the highest quality.

Latching on to substitute Mikael Forssell’s knockdown, the Scot showed tremendous strength and guile to, first, turn defender David Wright and, then, clinically fire the ball beyond the despairing dive of Eagles goalkeeper Julian Speroni.

It was a fitting way to cap an afternoon that had seen McCormack start up front before moving to the left flank and then centre midfield as Simon Grayson searched for a combination capable of unlocking the Palace defence.

McCormack added: “It was a big result for us. Before the game, we set ourselves the target of beating Palace and then winning again next week (against Bristol City at Elland Road).

“Palace probably feel a little bit aggrieved because they deserved a point. But that is football.

“A turning point was probably Luciano and Mikael coming on as it lifted us. They are big lads who can hold the ball up. Before that, we had probably played too deep because of the pace Palace have.

“Getting the three points was everything for us. We’d had a couple of weeks off after playing well (in the opening five games) but not getting what we deserved so it was important we got back to winning ways.”

After an opening month that had brought more plaudits than points, United’s victory, which owed as much to Andy Lonergan’s heroics in the home goal as McCormack’s double, meant there were plenty of smiling faces at Elland Road on Saturday evening.

What could not be disguised, however, was just how fortunate Simon Grayson’s side had been to claim the points.

Against a Palace frontline brimming with pace and energy, the home defence laboured in a manner similar to last season when they conceded 70 goals.

It had been hoped that the summer would see the defensive travails rectified but, despite the back five against the Eagles containing four new faces and another (Paddy Kisnorbo) who played just 11 minutes last term, the same old failings were in evidence.

Never was this more apparent than during the moves that led to both of Palace’s goals when lapses in concentration and poor positional sense cost Leeds dear.

The first of those came on 12 minutes when Tom Lees, a young centre-back having to fill in at right-back, was guilty of misjudging a flighted free-kick from Mile Jedinak.

That meant when the ball found Paddy McCarthy towards the back of the six-yard box, the Palace captain had sufficient time and space to control before lashing the ball past Lonergan. Worse followed just nine minutes later when all it took was a quick throw-in by Jonathan Parr to cause Leeds, who desperately missed the midfield ‘bite’ of calf injury victim Adam Clayton, to be so far out of position that Jermaine Easter was allowed to race to the byline unimpeded before crossing for Sean Scannell to score.

The quick-fire double meant the visitors had more than cancelled out McCormack’s eighth-minute opener, scored when the Scot met 17-year-old Charlie Taylor’s searching left-wing cross with a firm header into the corner of the net.

Only a mixture of Lonergan’s agility – he denied Wilfred Zaha, Easter and Scannell in a brilliant 20-minute period either side of half-time – and poor finishing then prevented the game from being taken out of United’s grasp. The tide turned, however, when Becchio – who had been brought on together with debutant Mikael Forssell just before the hour – proved that five months out injured has not dimmed his scoring touch with a bullet header past Speroni 19 minutes from time. Having been pegged back, Palace seemed content to settle for a point – a ploy that backfired five minutes from time when McCormack held off Wright’s challenge to fire the winner.

It meant that, unlike last December when McCormack had seen his shot cross the line after the slightest of touches from Becchio, there was no doubting this time who had applied the final touch.

More importantly, though, in terms of Leeds’ prospects, McCormack’s strike means the season is up and running. Or it will be, providing Grayson’s men can make it back-to-back wins by beating Bristol City this weekend.