Daniel’s hoping good form Leeds to promotion tilt
DANIEL FARKE stopped short of declaring his Leeds side are targeting automatic promotion – but he could not deny they are on the march.
A sixth win in seven games and a fifth consecutive home victory was proof enough, yet they should have won this game far more comfortably.
Dan James opened the scoring in the 21st minute and Joel Piroe soon added a second before the Whites spurned several chances on the break with Georginio Rutter particularly wasteful in front of goal.
Plymouth claimed what turned out to be a late consolation through substitute Ben Waine as Farke’s side held on to move within eight points of leaders Leicester.
Leeds boss Farke, who led Norwich to promotion as title winners in two of the past five seasons, had seen his men beat the Foxes in their previous outing.
He said: “I’ll take these three points all day long – if you had offered me a 2-1 win before the game I would have taken it.
“I didn’t speak too much about it beforehand, but I was really concerned today.
“That’s because after a spotlight game like Leicester, and a brilliant performance and result, you get so much praise from all sides – the press, the supporters and the pundits.
“Normally you suffer a sucker-punch so I’m pretty pleased with this three points. We’re on a good path, but we have to improve this each and every day – this league is relentless and we have to stay on it.”
Leeds led in the 21st minute when Kaine Keslerhayden’s poor clearance fell straight to James on the edge of Argyle’s 18-yard box and he blasted home.
They doubled their advantage seven minutes later when Crysencio Summerville’s delightful footwork created the space for Piroe to rifle home a low, left-foot shot.
With six minutes remaining, Argyle set up a nervy finish when Waine buried Luke Cundle’s low right-wing cross.
Pilgrims boss Steven Schumacher felt his side were denied a penalty when Ethan Ampadu challenged Bali Mumba in the first half.
He said: “Another call has gone against us.
“There was no contact on the ball from their player so I can’t understand how it’s not a foul.
“But I’m proud of the lads, they kept going.
“We made two errors in the first half and paid the ultimate price.”
LEEDS: Meslier 6; Gray 6, Rodon 6, Cooper 6, Byram 6 (Firpo (54) 6); Ampadu 7, Kamara 7; James 7 (Gnonto (79) 6), Piroe 7 (Bamford (90) 6), Summerville 8 (Anthony (78) 6); Rutter 7 (Gruev (90) 6) PLYMOUTH: Cooper 7; Pleguezuelo 6 (Edwards (57) 6), Scarr 6, Gibson 6; Mumba 6, Randell 6 (Waine (57) 7), Houghton 6 (Butcher (81) 6), Keslerhayden 5 (Wright (75) 6); Whittaker 6, Cundle 6, Azaz6 (Issaka (75) 6) STAR MAN: Crysencio Summerville – Caused havoc with his clever footwork and running. REF: Josh Smith 6