Saturday 1 March 2008

Leeds back to winning ways as Kandol header beats the Robins

Swindon Town: P. Smith, Comminges, Kanyuka, Aljofree, Vincent, Allen, Peacock, Easton, Roberts, Cox, Paynter. Subs: Brezovan, McGovern, McNamee, Ifill, Ashikodi.

Leeds United: Ankergren, Kenton, Richardson, Michalik, Marques, Prutton, Kilkenny, Howson, Johnson, Beckford, Kandol. Subs: Lucas, Sheehan, Thompson Carole, Elding.

Referee: C. Foy.

New loan signing Steve O'Halloran limped off during the warm up and did not feature as expected. Frazer Richardson took his place in the team and Alan Sheehan was elevated to the subs bench. Leeds fans welcomed back midfielder Neil Kilkenny to the starting line-up at the County Ground, Swindon.

The first 20 minutes saw Swindon, a team low in confidence, getting the best out of a scrappy start to the match. Jermaine Beckford was booked on 23 minutes for unsporting behaviour.

The booking prompted a short spell of pressure from Leeds. A cross from David Prutton, in the 25th minute, found the head of Tresor Kandol who connected solidly and the ball went in from six yards out, 0-1.

It's a long time since Leeds fans saw the famous somersault but it looks like Tresor, with his second goal in successive game, has found his scoring head again and there may be more to come.

Another cross by Prutton in the 32nd minute but this time Bradley Johnson's header, also from six yards, went wide to the right.

Swindon came back into the game for the last 15 minutes of the first half and won three or four corners that put Leeds under pressure.

United remained on the back foot for the first 20 minutes of the second half, as the Robins, with the crowd behind them, looked for an equaliser.

Two inswinging corners by Prutton in the 70th minute began a spell of pressure by Leeds but Swindon got forward again soon afterwards and a shot from Christian Roberts was tipped round the post by Casper Ankergran, earning the Robins their 9th corner of the game.

Alan Thompson came on for Kilkenny in the 77th minute.

A shot by Jonathan Howson, from 25 yards, in the 80th minute, sailed off to the right and was only the 4th chance of the game for United.

The Robins had 11 good chances in the game. They had the Whites on the back foot for long spells but they failed to make their chances count and Gary McAllister got his first win as United's manager.

Attendance 13,217

Swindon Town 0 Leeds United 1.

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