UNITED BACK TO LIFE WITH BRIAN
Warnock free-kick seals win
AFTER a turbulent week, Leeds United boss Brian McDermott celebrated a win on his return to the dugout – and he hopes to build a prosperous relationship with new owner Massimo Cellino.
Cellino’s takeover of the club has still to be ratified with the Football League, but he intends to be at Leeds’ game with Brighton on Tuesday night.
And by winning his first game since being re-instated as manager, McDermott ensured he’s in the strongest possible position.
In windy conditions, Leeds fell behind at Huish Park when Ishmael Miller headed in from a corner, but he then blazed a penalty over the crossbar and United profited after the break.
Top-scorer Ross McCormack pulled his side level in the first minute of the second half before Stephen Warnock scored the winner with a wind-assisted freekick.
It brought a dramatic week to a good end for McDermott, who said: “What we want to avoid now is drama off the pitch. On the pitch we’ll have a bit of it over the last 17 games, but not off it.
“The only thing I can do now is try to get another result against Brighton in our next game, nothing else.
“I think with a new owner coming in, they will want to take Leeds United back to where we belong and that’s what I want to do too, that’s the common ground.
“You have to build a relationship, it doesn't just happen. So we’ll see what happens over the next two weeks.
“I think Mr Cellino is coming to the game against Brighton and then hopefully we’ll sit down and have a conversation and see where we go.
“Every owner has the choice to make whatever decision they want. All I can do is the best I can, day-in, day-out.”
McDermott also revealed he has now spoken to former Middlesbrough defender Gianluca Festa, the man Cellino was reported to have lined up as Leeds’ new manager.
“I spoke to Gianluca Festa (on Friday) and had a really good conversation with him,” he added. “He's a good man, a football man and he wants to help the club.
“I don’t know in what capacity he would be involved, but I have no problem with that.”
The Glovers went ahead when Miller glanced in a header from John Lundstram’s corner, but the striker then blasted over from the spot after Sam Byram tripped Kevin Dawson.
They were made to pay after the break when McCormack seized on Marek Stech’s poor clearance before curling a shot past the keeper from 20 yards.
And Stech was at fault again when Warnock struck a free-kick from 40 yards which was caught by the wind and flew into the net over the head of the stranded keeper.
Yeovil remain rooted to the bottom of the Championship table and manager Gary Johnson felt they were architects of their own downfall.
“The game was more influenced by a couple of mistakes we made than the weather,” said Johnson.
“The weather played a part but we didn't do enough when the wind was in our favour.
“Unfortunately we made the mistakes that they didn’t when the wind was against us.
“Marek has been a great goalkeeper for us over the last couple of years but I put the goals down as mistakes from him.
“Straight after half-time his kick into the wind cost us with the first goal and then he was caught out for the second.
“He should be experienced enough now and he’s disappointed with what happened and has apologised to the lads.
“We didn't do enough going forward to get back into the game either and probably should have gone in 2-0 up at half-time but obviously missed the penalty.”