Irish Daily Mail

Dutch of class as Leeds march on

- at the Swansea.com Stadium

RIt’s cloud nine for Clough as Stags run riot

UTHLESS Leeds went double Dutch to secure a magnificen­t seventh successive Championsh­ip triumph in Swansea and move into the second automatic promotion place.

Crysencio Summervill­e, with his 16th of the season, and former Swansea star Joel Piroe gave Leeds a flying start as they both scored in the opening 10 minutes of a one-sided affair that equalled Leeds’ biggest win of the season against promotin rivals Ipswich.

Leeds lost striker Patrick Bamford in the warm-up and that meant Piroe started against the club he left last summer for a reported £12million.

It didn’t take long for him to show the home fans what they have been missing as Daniel Farke’s visitors roared out of the blocks in Wales.

First Summervill­e beat Carl Rushworth with a close-range shot that took a wicked deflection off Jay Fulton.

Fellow Dutchman Piroe then beat Rushworth to round off a sweeping move that saw him fire a fierce shot through the grasp of the home keeper.

It evoked memories of the nightmare start Luke Williams’ Swansea side had suffered against Southampto­n three weeks earlier. Then they were 2-0 down at home in 20 minutes and 3-1 behind by the break.

New boss Williams had tasted his first Championsh­ip win since taking over at the beginning of last month in the 1-0 win at Hull City last weekend, yet his side could do nothing to stem the flow of Leeds attacks.

Rushworth denied Piroe a second and also saved low down from Georgino Rutter but he was powerless to stop a third goal finally being scored on 36 minutes when Wilfried Gnonto turned Ben Cabango inside out and scored with a left-foot shot into the right corner.

Swansea at least pressed forward a bit more in the second half and Jamie Paterson had two chances, forcing a save from his first and then blasting over the top from six yards out with his second.

Then came another blistering counter from Leeds as Gnonto once again showed off his speed and finishing skills to blast home his second goal of the night to make it 4-0 in the 72nd minute and send the away fans home elated.

 ?? DAN WESTWELL ?? Nigel Clough’s Mansfield became the first EFL team to score nine since 1998 as they thumped Harrogate to move within a point of League Two leaders Stockport. Hiram Boateng (above) scored a hat-trick
DAN WESTWELL Nigel Clough’s Mansfield became the first EFL team to score nine since 1998 as they thumped Harrogate to move within a point of League Two leaders Stockport. Hiram Boateng (above) scored a hat-trick

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