Redfearn joy at Leeds lift-off
LEEDS’ resurrection under Neil Redfearn continued as Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield were put to the sword at Elland Road – but the caretaker boss admitted he does not know when a permanent manager will be in place.
Rodolph Austin, Mirco Antenucci and Souleymane Doukara all scored for Leeds – who later saw Gaetano Berardi sent off – to make it three wins in four games under Redfearn.
And he says that, whatever the future holds, he has taken great pride from the club’s recent upturn in fortunes.
“I haven’t been told anything yet,” he said.“I had 20 minutes with Massimo (Cellino) before the game, but the conversation was only about the game.
“Whatever will happen, will happen. I’ve enjoyed myself, I haven’t done myself any harm, there’s no two ways about it.The club is in a much better position.
“I thought we were excel- lent. It was a real measured performance. We passed the ball well and we really competed with Huddersfield.
“The players have got more and more belief. We’ve ridden our luck but we’ve earned it because we’ve done the horrible bits well.
“I don’t see why we can’t challenge up the table. The good thing about the squad is it’s young and we’re only going to get better and better.”
Austin’s thunderous strike put Leeds in front, his blistering 18yard effort giving Alex Smithies no hope after Antenucci had caught Joel Lynch in possession.
Town looked to hit back immediately but Harry Bunn’s ambitious long-range drive sailing harmlessly over.
Top scorer Nahki Wells then had the chance to level but his 22-yard free-kick deflected just over off teammate Jonathan Hogg.
Antenucci doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time, though, playing in Giuseppe Bellusci and, when the defender’s lob hit the bar, following in to score.
Doukara added the third on 69 minutes, running on to Austin’s through ball before cutting inside Mark Hudson and coolly slotting into the bottom corner.
The only sour note was Berardi’s sending off, with the full-back receiving a second yellow for a foul on Bunn on 73 minutes.
With a man advantage, substitute Jon Stead should have scored a consolation for Huddersfield on but shot well over from close range when unmarked.
Leeds nearly made it four to compound the misery on 86 minutes, Antenucci running 50 yards from inside his own half before Smithies turned his low shot on to the post and wide.
And Terriers boss Chris Powell admitted there was much work to be done if the hope to follow their Yorkshire rivals up the table.
“We need a mixture of ironing out basic mistakes and bringing in a few new faces,” he said. There is work we can do with this squad, but it will take time, and it needs freshening up.
“We only have ourselves to blame for the goals. They have all come through faults of our own, and the timing of the second, with it coming just before half-time, was the killer blow.
“We had some good phases, but obviously we have not taken our chances. We have not worked their keeper or hit the target enough.”