COCU HAILS Martin snatches last-gasp point as wasteful Whites pay penalty
LEEDS UNITED 1 DERBY COUNTY 1
PHILLIP COCU says he played on Leeds’ weakness for conceding late goals after his Derby side snatched an unlikely point at the death.
The Rams were outplayed, but Leeds wasted a host of chances – including a penalty – to put the result out of reach before substitute Chris Martin’s last-gasp leveller. eller.
It was the ultimate te smash-and-grab with h
Derby’s only shot at goal – and a kick in the teeth for Leeds.
It’s now seven n points at home that hat Marcelo Bielsa’s side have dropped courtesy of late goals and Cocu (above) said he told his men to exploit this.
“I told the players just to stay in the game because Leeds have conceded goals late on recently,” he said.
“We did well not to concede again after Leeds scored and I said the way Leeds play with and without the ball they lose a lot of energy, so if we can keep it at 1- 0 we will have chances late on to score. With 20 minutes to go I could see these possibilities coming for us.”
Bielsa’s side made a typical start, pinning the visitors back with wave after wave of attacks.
Derby, who have not won since the opening day of the season, were struggling to get out of their own half and that pressure eventually told after 20 minutes.
Kalvin Phillips’ free-kick fell kind kindly for Stuart Dallas to fi fire goalwards and although Derby keeper Kelle Roos did well to get down low and make the s save, the ball reb rebounded off defender Max Lowe and in.
It should have been 2-0 at the break when Patrick Bamford was sent clean through on goal, but he tried to lob Roos and could only send the ball high over the bar.
Then two minutes into the second half the Leeds striker got on the end of Dallas’ driven cross, but his sliding closerange effort hit the post.
Bamford showed superb skill to win a penalty after being brought down by a combination of Richard
Keogh and Matthew
Clarke.
But Mat eusz
Klich’s 70th-minute spotkick went the wrong side of the post and those missed chances came back to haunt the hosts.
Derby looked a different side when back-in-favour striker Martin came on. And the Scot grabbed an equaliser when he exchanged passes with Jamie Paterson before drilling home into the bottom corner.
A bemused Bielsa said: “We had 10 chances, they have had one shot at our goal all game. I cannot say how we have not won this game. It is hard to find reasons for this. Is it luck?
“I cannot look behind destiny and say if there is a reason why this has happened.” 5 ............. Shots on Target ............ 1 6 ............. Shots off Target........... 2 2 ...............Blocked Shots ............. 1 8 .....................Corners................... 3 8 ........................Fouls ....................12 3 .....................Offsides ..................0 0 .................Yellow Cards .............. 4 0 ...................Red Cards ................0 83.7..... Passing Success %.. 75.8 50................. Duels Won ............. 40 55.6 ....... Duel Success % ..... 44.4 23 ....................Tackles ..................14 56.5 ........ Tackles Won %.......35.7 63.4 ......... Possession %....... 36.6 52.3....... Territorial Adv %..... 47.7 601 .............Total Passes ......... 347 29 ..............Total Crosses ............12 154 ............... Lost Balls ............. 134 64 ................Recoveries..............52 70.5.........1st Half Poss %. ..... 29.5 54.9 ...... 2nd Half Poss %. ..... 45.1