Search for first win of the year continues for Leeds
NO WONDER Sky TV are so fixated with Leeds United.
This was the 15th time the Elland Road club has been shown live by the satellite broadcaster this season and, once again, there was drama in abundance.
Just four days after sharing four goals with Bristol City in a topsy-turvy contest that thrilled the viewers at home until the very last kick, Leeds were at it again last night.
Derby dominated much of the proceedings but twice fell behind, the second time with just 11 minutes remaining.
Ezgjan Alioski nodded Leeds in front after capitalising on some sublime play from fellow substitute Samuel Saiz and as fourth official Robert Jones indicated there would be five minutes of stoppage time, that seemed to be that.
There was, though, to be one final twist for both the 27,944 crowd who braved a bitterly cold East Midlands night and the watching public at home.
An almighty scramble saw the ball career around the Leeds six-yard box before Kasey Palmer prodded a shot beyond Felix Wiedwald.
The 92nd-minute strike by Palmer, who had twice finished on the winning side against United last season in Huddersfield Town colours, meant the long wait for a first victory of 2018 would go on.
But, for Sky, it was vindication for once again turning to Leeds, whose games against Middlesbrough and Wolves in the next fortnight will also be beamed live to the nation.
Paul Heckingbottom will be hoping to have his first victory as head coach by then, Brentford being due at Elland Road on Saturday for the only fixture in a run of six for United that Sky have chosen to ignore.
The return of Saiz after a sixgame ban for spitting will certainly improve those chances of a home win against the Bees.
Brought on 10 minutes after the break against the Rams, the Spanish playmaker initially took time to settle. But then came what, until Palmer’s late intervention, looked like settling an absorbing contest.
Saiz, collecting the ball wide on the right, shimmied his way past Matej Vydra. A quick dart infield was followed by a glance up to reveal Alioski racing through the middle on his own.
He didn’t need a second invitation, as a perfectly-weighted pass meant Alioski didn’t even have to break stride to continue his path towards goal.
Scott Carson, the former Leeds goalkeeper, did manage to save the first shot but Alioski would not be denied, heading in the rebound to send the 3,100 visiting fans into raptures.
Those celebrations would be cut short at the death but, on the balance of play, few could argue that Derby deserved reward for their own endeavours.
With Tom Huddlestone making football look an incredibly easy game and the Rams’ attacking midfield trio in front of the former Hull City man pulling the visitors backline all over, the hosts dominated for well over an hour.
That Leeds were still level as the game moved into the final third spoke volumes for not only their own determination but also the profligacy of Gary Rowett’s men.
Pierre-Michel Lasogga had put the visitors ahead very much against the run of play.
A searching crossfield pass from captain Liam Cooper picked out Stuart Dallas on the right flank, the Northern Ireland international taking one touch before lobbing a cross that Lasogga converted from close range.
United’s opener came amid a flurry of spurned opportunities for the hosts. Andreas Weimann missed the best chance, when he fired marginally over the crossbar after latching on to a searching pass from Huddlestone.
The Austrian was far from alone, however, in letting Leeds off the hook as David Nugent headed wide from a cross by the lively Tom Lawrence.
Neither Huddlestone nor Richard Keogh were then able to apply the final touch to a clever flick-on by Matej Vydra before a back-pedalling Wiedwald smartly tipped another Lawrence corner over the crossbar.
Once behind to Lasogga’s 34th minute opener, Lawrence thundered a 25-yard drive against the crossbar before the equaliser that derby’s approach play warranted finally arrived in first-half stoppage time.
A poor Cooper header was compounded by Laurens De Bock having gone AWOL at left-back to leave Weimann free to race clear and beat Wiedwald.
Further chances followed after the restart for the hosts but Nugent sliced wide and Lawrence saw his shot beaten away by Wiedwald.
Saiz’s introduction then pepped Leeds up sufficiently to take the lead for a second time through Alioski but that was merely the prelude to yet another thrilling finale in front of the live cameras as Palmer rescued a point for the Rams.
For Sky, it was vindication for once again turning to Leeds. Richard Sutcliffe, on why the satellite broadcaster is keen to screen Leeds’ games.