CITY 1 LEEDS 0
This was a proper football match. Decent crowd, 27 500, with a full complement of opposition supporters making themselves heard enough to provoke the City fans into a fanatical backing of their division-leading team.
Two teams with genuine football tradition from genuine cities rather than overgrown villages and plenty at stake! For us the immediate return to the Championship that our football heritage demands – and as champions. Some may be satisfied with finishing second to a team that was in league 2 last season but for me our self-respect, so badly damaged by a series of inadequate managers last year, requires nothing less than the league title, preferably with a record number of points.
Having got that off my chest I might just have accepted at the start of the season finishing second to Leeds whose hurt is as great as ours if not more. Anyway Leeds had plenty to play for today with a play-off position well within reach, so game on.
We came out of the blocks much the quicker and it was one-way traffic for the first quarter. As ever we threatened but found it hard to deliver. Set pieces were our best bet as we were able to get more men forward for these but it doesn't help when both Oakley and Gradel waste more than half the corners we gain by giving a master-class in how not to beat the first defender or by attempting a world record for how long the ball could be in the air….
When it was whipped in properly there was near panic in Leeds' defence but it took 92 minutes for the lesson to be learned. How is it that most professional footballers cannot take corners at all and the ones that do have a success rate of less than 25%? How difficult can it be when you kick a ball for a living?
Leeds came more into the game in the second quarter with Becchio, in spite of the absence of strike partner Beckford, always a threat, shooting into the side netting when given a half-chance by a sleepy Leicester defence. Becchio did not endear himself to the home crowd by some stereotypical Italian -style cunning – or cheating as we say around these parts.
It got so bad that even the semi-competent referee booked him eventually and Grayson, the Leeds' manager, removed him in the second half in the interests of the team before the ref could finish the job and do it for him. Half time saw a 0-0 scoreline which flattered Leeds and led to the usual sense of foreboding when clearly on top but with nothing to show for it.
The second half began as the first ended with City ahead on points but Leeds occasionally dangerous. No more so than when Stockdale, who had made a good save from Leeds' best effort in the first half, redressed the balance by mis-punching a corner under pressure and Gradel swept the ball away as it glanced against the bar. We periodically made good progress down the left where Dyer's pace troubled the Leeds' defence throughout. Howard and Fryatt had chances which they failed to make the most of and Ankergen made a good save from King's low shot.
Becchio's removal after 64 minutes did us no favours as his replacement, Robinson, quickly established himself as the best midfielder on view. He bore more than a passing resemblance to Humpty Dumpty but shuttled from one side of the pitch to the other orchestrating Leeds' attacks with the limited possession City permitted them.
We need a midfielder like him as King and Oakley are far too similar. Both pass really well, especially Oakley whose vision is superb at times but neither are quick over 10 yards and neither can tackle though King is improving in this regard. Fryatt was replaced by Dickov after 76 minutes after another frustrating afternoon against defenders who mark tight.
Just as we were all resigned to a goalless afternoon City won a corner deep into added time. Gradel swung over a beauty which cleared the keeper and found Howard unmarked at the far post. One thumping header into the roof of the net later and the crowd went into prolonged raptures, similar to our best day at the old Wembley. Leeds players lay prone all over the pitch like toppled statues and realised all their dogged defending had been in vain. So much effort for nothing!
Grayson was quoted after the game as saying his team were the better side. You can take your pick from total stupidity or a wry sense of humour. Had this been a boxing match the ref would not have needed to add up his score-card. We had more than 60% of the possession and at least the same percentage of the chances and this was a deserved victory.
Pearson with his usual under-statement thought no City player had a bad game which translates into they all played well. For me Dyer was the Man of the Match with Brown and Oakley running him close but Pearson got it right. Three games to go and the Championship beckons – one more point and we're there, two more and we're champions.
City: Stockdale, Morrison, Brown, Hobbs, Maddock (Berner 88), Dyer, King, Oakley, Gradel, Howard, Fryatt (Dickov 76).
Booked: Morrison, Gradel, Howard, Brown, Oakley
Leeds: Ankergen, Parker, Naylor, Sodje, Douglas, Delph, Howson, Kilkenny (Hughes 78), Snodgrass, Dickinson (Grella 83), Becchio (Robinson 64)
Booked: Becchio, Sodje
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation