CHAMPIONSHIP Henderson horror
Howler gifts Leeds a key win
A YORKSHIRE derby that deserved a moment of beauty was eventually settled by a beast of a mistake — by one of the game’s best players.
Both Sheffield United and Leeds United merited something from t his match, not l east t he t wo goalkeepers.
But while Leeds’ Bailey PeacockFarrell could celebrate the victory that put his side back on top of the Championship until Norwich’s win, home keeper Dean Henderson rued a moment of misadventure.
Pablo Hernandez punished his blunder eight minutes from time after t eenage substitute Jack Clarke had robbed Henderson as the Manchester United loanee went walkabout.
Conor Washington almost spared Henderson’s blushes when his overhead kick smashed against the visitors’ crossbar i n stoppage time.
A draw would have been a fairer result. Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa, seldom triumphant in victory, said: ‘We had to defend a lot. We couldn’t have said a draw wouldn’t have been fair.’
Blades boss Chris Wilder more than agreed with that assessment after a compelling contest was settled in such a freakish fashion.
‘We played very well, deserved something and wouldn’t have lost if we’d taken our chances,’ said Wilder.
‘It’s hard for Dean to take but there’s no hiding place out there.
‘He’s had a lot of plaudits so this is one to learn from and move on.
‘It was a really good game which I always thought would be decided by a bit of magic or a mistake.’ In fairness to Henderson, team-mates Billy Sharp and David McGoldrick were in the same cart after misses in either half.
Yet Bielsa argued that Leeds had ‘more chances than the opponent.’ He described the performance as ‘interesting without being excellent.’
Bielsa’s greater concern was what he called a ‘serious’ knee injury suffered by skipper Liam Cooper, who limped off in the opening half and will be ‘an important loss’ for an as yet unknown period.
Despite the lack of goals, and the need for a howler for the deadlock to be broken, it was a pulsating game.
Both sides spurned openings, notably Sharp with a close range header. But then Henderson, who had excelled marginally more than Peacock-Farrell, had a bad touch which saw him embarrassingly caught in possession by Leeds’ 18-year-old Clarke who crossed for Hernandez to slot home.
And that was the difference as a feisty game finished in favour of Bielsa’s men.
There was certainly a fair amount of fuel in the challenges.
R e f r e s h i n g l y, s o me fierce tackling went without complaint on either side.
McGoldrick t ested PeacockFarrell early on before Henderson made an even better save at the other end.
His agility was remarkable in getting down to his right to deny Aapo Halme, who was on for the injured Cooper in only his second Leeds appearance.
One talking point was what looked to be a nasty challenge by McGoldrick on Mateusz Klich which didn’t even earn a free-kick let alone the red card replays suggested was due.
Klich and teenage substitute Clarke both forced saves, and Kemar Roofe went close, as Leeds started the second half on top.
There was no contentment with a point in either camp and Leeds, after making their luck, had to survive strong pressure to see out the win.