Newcastle United 2 Leeds United 0: United in memory of Speed but Leeds crash out

THE type of footballing occasion Leeds United fans hanker for on a regular basis saw the Whites exit the Capital One Cup on Tyneside – but with pride very much intact.
KNOCKED OUT: Leeds Matt Smith gets above Magpies Mike Williamson but his header is saved. Picture: Tony Johnson.KNOCKED OUT: Leeds Matt Smith gets above Magpies Mike Williamson but his header is saved. Picture: Tony Johnson.
KNOCKED OUT: Leeds Matt Smith gets above Magpies Mike Williamson but his header is saved. Picture: Tony Johnson.

On an evening when both Loiners and Geordies remembered Gary Speed, both sides produced a watchable spectacle befitting of his memory, with rival supporters also playing their part in an emotional first-half tribute to the Welshman, who served each with considerable distinction.

Newcastle, whose faithful need no reminding that their last domestic trophy arrived way back in 1955, progressed thanks to two moments of Premier League quality and cutting-edge class that Leeds manager Brian McDermott is seeking to supplement his own forward line with.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

That essentially was the difference between the sides – with the fact than it was Leeds’s third defeat on the trot purely incidential on a night when they could take a fair bit of solace, given the huge difference in resources between both clubs as it stands, if not neccessarily size and stature.

A 31st-minute opener from £9m striker Papiss Cisse, who ended his 11-match goal drought with a bullet header – and a splendid strike from Yoan Gouffran on 67 minutes – accounted for McDermott’s beaten but unbowed side as the hosts provided a payback installment after their weekend home loss to Hull City.

In between those strikes and before, the visitors, roared on by the biggest away support on Tyneside for four seasons, were firmly in proceedings, as the visiting fans unquestionably reigned in the battle of the airwaves ahead of a group of supporters who pride themselves to be the best in the land.

Leeds, particularly in the first half, displayed some real quality at times amid exulted surroundings in which they were by no means overrawed, unlike their last visit to a top-flight ground in February, when they were submerged by an incessant blue tidal wave in a painful 4-0 FA Cup blitzing at Manchester City.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Optimism, rather than gallows humour, was this time prevalent among the 5,971 travelling army perched high in the gods at St James – a world away from the Etihad.

McDermott made four changes from the weekend, with the surprise name in his line-up being teenager Alex Mowatt, who made his first-team debut in the previous round against hometown club Doncaster Rovers and was prefered to £1m man Luke Murphy.

Ten of the side who performed so admirably at the Keepmoat took the field, with McDermott’s old Reading mate Alan Pardew making six changes – with jack-in-the-box Hatem Ben Arfa, who has recently announced lofty dreams of one day winning the Ballon d’Or, kept in reserve on the substitutes’ bench.

On a night when Eddie Gray was inducted into the English Hall of Fame, a moment of sublime quality that could easily have come from the United legend in his heyday almost conjured a magical breakthrough for the Whites after just five minutes of this absorbing contest.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Gray’s compatriot Ross McCormack, having spotted Tim Krul off his line, produced a delicious chip, akin to a famous effort from Toon cult hero Phillipe Albert many years ago in a 5-0 drubbing of Manchester United, but saw this effort come back off the woodwork.

It was the first offering in a choice first half where both sides strutted their stuff, most notably McCormack and Sammy Ameobi.

Soon after a 11-minute tribute to Speed started from the massed away end – with the Toon faithful quick to enter in a minutes’ applause – an unlikely source in Matt Smith hacked clear a powerful header from Fabricio Coloccini close to his goalline as the Magpies pressed.

The former Oldham striker, who netted famous FA Cup goals against Liverpool and Everton last term, then got back to the day job with a close-range header from McCormack’s cross clawed away by a scampering Krul before Cisse fared somewhat better.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Senegalese international, who had earlier snatched at a couple of chances and looked a striker somewhat out of sorts, rediscovered his mojo, powering home a fierce header following a majestic cross from Ameobi, whose elder brother Tomi was once on Leeds’s books.

United’s response arrived with a daisycutter from McCormack which flashed inches wide, with their efforts in the first period worthy of credit and enthusing their following.

On the restart, Leeds’s attacking fire diminished a little, although they still had their moments, with Smith’s aerial strength their most potent weapon, with his best effort held by Krul.

Gouffran sealed the deal after swivelling expertly past Jason Pearce before firing an unstoppable shot past Paddy Kenny midway through the half with a last-gasp clearance from Scott Wootton preventing a flattering third with substitute Gabriel Obertan waiting to pounce after the visiting goalkeeper saved his initial point-blank shot.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Leeds kept going until the final whistle, without reward, but at least they provided their money’s worth and didn’t leave the away punters short-changed.

Newcastle United: Krul; Debuchy, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett; Anita (Gosling 80), Tiote; Marveaux, Gouffran (Vuckic 84), Sammy Ameobi; Cisse (Obertan 71). Unused substitutes: Alnwick, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bigirimana, Ben Arfa.

Leeds United: Kenny; Byram, Wootton, Pearce, Warnock; Austin, Mowatt; Poleon (White 63), Tonge (Diouf 64), McCormack; Smith. Unused substitutes: Cairns, Murphy, Green, Hunt, Brown.

Referee: M Jones (Cheshire).