Loan star Ben has world at his feet 1 0
THOSE WERE THE DAYS ON THIS DATE IN SPORTING HISTORY
LEEDS centre-back Ben White filled Kalvin Phillips’ midfield boots – then said it “would mean the world’’ to win promotion with the club.
White, on loan from Brighton, was pressed into holding-role duties when key man Phillips went off injured in the 37th minute of this hard-fought victory.
Marcelo Bielsa’s meticulous methods came into play as Leeds strengthened their hold on second place.
Bielsa reshuffled the defence and midfield, and White, who has deputised for Phillips before, said: “In training we always have a back-up plan with positions. I do some stuff in midfield and we all rotate, so we know our jobs.
“It was quite a few months ago that I started doing it in training. I enjoy it. It’s tougher, but something I’m working on.’’
The 22-year-old admitted: “To go up would be unbelievable and I don’t think there would be a better team to do it with. It would mean the world.
“I’ve been on loan before but nothing like this. It has been very different, but I’m learning daily.’’
Phillips, attracting attention from top-flight teams, took a kick and is being assessed. Playmaker Pablo Hernandez struck in the 57th minute with a winner that owed much to his determination and finesse. The Spaniard’s first shot was blocked by Reading skipper Liam Moore, but Hernandez pounced again and White said: “I’ll win 1-0 every week. It’s nice to have a player like Pablo – you don’t know if he’s going to pass or do something exceptional, like he did.’’
Hernandez’s compatriot Kiko Casilla sealed the win when he saved from Moore near the end.
Casilla is awaiting the FA’s verdict after being charged with racially abusing Charlton striker Jonathan Leko in September – an accusation he denies.
Costly errors have crept into Casilla’s game and striker Patrick Bamford, who has now scored only twice in 11 matches, has also come in for criticism.
But the fans were behind them this time and White said: “It does give them a lift. When things aren’t going the way they should some can get angry, but when we’re doing well it’s nice to hear them.’’
Reading boss Mark Bowen had to make a late switch when on-loan Liverpool midfielder Ovie Ejaria was injured in the warm-up and France Under-18 international Michael Olise was called in.
Bowen said: “Michael is a special talent and he’s just turned 18. He was going to be on the bench but Ovie pulled his groin.” LEEDS (4-1-4-1): Casilla 7; Ayling 6, White 6, Cooper 6, Dallas 6; Phillips 5 (Alioski 37, 6); Helder Costa 6, Hernandez 8 (Shackleton 85), Klich 6, Harrison 6; Bamford 5. Goal: Hernandez 57.
READING (4-2-3-1): Cabral 6; Yiadom 6, Morrison 6, Moore 7, Richards 6; Swift 5 (Adam 75), Pele 5; Meite 5, Rinomhota 6, Olise 6; Puscas 6.
1968: Hampden Park drew a crowd of 134,461 for the European Championship qualifier between Scotland and England, a record for the competition. 1993: England’s World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore died of cancer at the age of 51. The West Ham and Fulham defender led England 90 times and won 108 caps. 2004: Dwain Chambers was banned for two years by UK Athletics after being found guilty of failing a drugs test.
2010: Sachin Tendulkar broke the record for the highest individual score in a one-day international innings, scoring 200 not out against South Africa to pass Charles Coventry and Saeed Anwar’s 194. 2015: Chris Gayle became the first person to score a double century in a World Cup match as he struck 16 sixes in an innings of 215 in West Indies’ victory over Zimbabwe. 2016: Hull KR sacked head coach Chris Chester three matches into the season.
HAL ROBSON-KANU thanked Slaven Bilic for making him the central figure in West Brom’s revitalised promotion surge.
The Baggies striker, below, scored twice to add to Callum Robinson’s header as the Championship leaders moved nine points clear of third-placed
Fulham with a 3-0 win at
Bristol City.
Their resurgence has coincided with Robson-Kanu coming in from the wing to play as a target man – a call that has helped win 13 points from a possible last 15.
The Wales striker said: “The manager had seen enough that it was my best position, leading the line and playing down the middle.
“I want to keep doing what I’m doing.There is a massive desire in the group to keep picking up points.”
Brentford’s promotion bid suffered a setback when they had to come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at home against
Blackburn.A world-class strike from Ollie Watkins and a penalty from Said Benrahma cancelled out Adam Armstrong’s pair.
Nottingham Forest missed the chance to go third when they were held to a goalless draw at home by QPR. Preston took advantage by moving level on points with Brentford and Forest, as two goals in four minutes from Paul Gallagher and Alan Browne enabled them to come from a goal down to beat Hull 2-1.
Barnsley and Wigan boosted their survival hopes after claiming 1-0 home wins over
Middlesbrough and
Millwall respectively.
Conor Chaplin’s goal was enough for Barnsley while a Shaun Hutchinson own goal earned Wigan the points. Both are still in the bottom three but
Charlton’s 3-1 win over
Luton meant Barnsley moved off the bottom to leave the Hatters propping up the table.