WE’RE ALIVE AND KIK-ING Bielsa hails Casilla as Whites push for Prem

LEEDS boss Marcelo Bielsa made a beeline for Kiko Casilla on the final whistle to congratulate the keeper on a crucial last-ditch save.

The second-placed Whites made it consecutive wins for the first time since a run of seven in Novemberdecember thanks to Pablo Hernandez’s 57th-minute finish.

Bielsa’s side are now five points clear of promotion rivals Fulham, but they were grateful to Casilla for preserving their lead yesterday when he denied Reading skipper Liam Moore.

The big call for Bielsa (below) was sticking with Casilla after the Spaniard had faced an FA hearing in the lead-up to the game over a charge that he racially abused striker Jonathan Leko when Leeds visited Charlton in September.

Casilla has strenuously denied the allegations, but his form has suffered in recent months, during which time he has made a string of mistakes, and French rookie Illan Meslier had been on standby for a league debut.

Bielsa, however, said: “Yes, I went over to Kiko because he had a very important impact on the result.

“Sometimes we have been better than the opponent and he has conceded some goals, but here was the opposite and he saved to secure the result in our favour.

“There was a situation in the last minute for them that the player should have done something with.

Their number six became a striker and that created confusion.’’

Reading have developed something of a reputation for upsetting promotion-chasers on their travels this season, having won at Preston and Fulham.

And they came into this encounter following an impressive 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough a week earlier.

The Royals had to make a late change when midfielder Ovie Ejaria pulled a groin in the warm-up. Michael Olise, who had originally made way for the return of on-loan Monaco man Pele, suddenly found himself restored to the starting lineup.

Helder Costa fired across the face of goal for Leeds, but they struggled to stamp any authority early on and Casilla was forced turn aside a 24thminute effort from George Puscas.

There was then a blow for Leeds when key midfielder Kalvin Phillips trudged off on 37 minutes to be replaced by Ezgjan Alioski.

Moore made a vital block to deny Costa before right-back Luke Ayling

– scorer of the only goal in Leeds’ home win against Bristol City last weekend – drove inches over and Alioski was foiled by Rafael Cabral.

Mateusz Klich was just wide at the start of the second half, but Hernandez would not be denied.

The playmaker saw a shot blocked but forced his way through to cleverly lift the ball into the net at the near post. Cabral also had to push away Hernandez’s free-kick nine minutes from time.

Reading boss Mark Bowen was unhappy with referee Jarred Gillett. He explained: “The fourth official said to me his communication earpiece with the referee wasn’t working. I said to him halfway through the first half I didn’t want any advantage played unless somebody was clean through.

“But with five minutes to go there were two opportunities where we should have had free-kicks and all the referee did was play on.”