Ripper from Roberts has Leeds on top

TYLER ROBERTS last night sent dominant Leeds back to the top of the Championship.

The young Wales striker fired in a brilliant solo effort from 22 yards out to end Hull’s resistance.

Roberts is finding his scoring touch after an injury-hit campaign last season, when he joined United from West Brom in January.

He struck in the 51st minute to give the his side reward for playing keep-ball and starving City of chances.

It was a welcome return to winning for Leeds, who had earned only a point from their previous two games.

Marcelo Bielsa named an unchanged side for the fifth game, hoping for a more ruthless performance than recent efforts. While not cashing in on their superiority, they remain set for a sturdy promotion challenge.

Leeds were mobile and slick but lacking width initially. After the break they visibly stepped up the intensity and squeezed the life out of the relegated home side.

Chances came and went before the opener,

HULL CITY LEEDS UNITED

with Kalvin Phillips driving a ball through the middle that saw Ezgjan Alioski eventually fire wide when clear on goal. Luke Ayling then directed a close-range header over the bar.

A sparrowhawk surveyed the match from the top of the KCOM Stadium but the game lacked its killer instinct, perhaps understandably given Leeds had suffered the loss of three strikers, including top scorer Kemar Roofe.

That was exemplified by Barry Douglas failing to hit a gaping goal, scooping Alioski’s cross over just before the break, but Roberts soon put his stamp on the game and added to the double he notched against Preston last month.

Hull competed well and had spirit but not the guile to find a goal. They went close late on through Nouha Dicko and Fraizer Campbell, but those were only minor scares for Leeds.