The Scratching Shed

Carlisle fans storm pitch after JPT shoot-out

Angry at the news Carlisle had got away without any punishment following the pitch invasion that saw three Leeds United players assaulted, I decided to email the FA for an explanation.

My email to them was as follows;

Dear FA, I’m absolutely outraged by the decision not to punish Carlisle for the pitch invasion which saw three Leeds United players punched and think it’s about time someone in your organisation took a step back and realised the full ridiculousness of it all!

Read the rest of this entry →

Back in February, fans that travelled to Carlisle for the ill-fated JPT semi-final and the tens of thousands more watching back home, witnessed some ugly scenes as Carlisle’s celebrations were marred by several assaults on our players.

Following those scenes in February, I observed that ‘The stewarding, policing and protection afforded to our players following the JPT clash on Tuesday night was quite frankly atrocious.’ I felt that Carlisle had massively underestimated the potential for trouble at the game, and were undeniably at fault for the events that followed.

Not only were the numbers of stewards and Police too small to meet the requirements for the match, but the ones that were there did nothing to help the Leeds United players who were trying to get off the pitch. At the time, Richard Naylor was the most outspoken on this issue, quite rightly condemning the actions of those who were supposed to be there to prevent such situations.

In February, I concluded my initial rant by predicting the FA’s punishment for Carlisle would be pathetic or non-existent. Unfortunately, my prediction came true as the FA decided to put the matter to rest, claiming that Carlisle did everything in their power after the events to bring those responsible to justice. Strange, since the ones that were responsible are still being hunted.

What really irks me about all this is the unavoidable double standards of the FA. It’s something we’ve grown used to at Leeds United, but that doesn’t make it any more acceptable. My prediction that the FA would do nothing was largely based on the lack of media coverage. The FA have become the media’s plaything and only seem to act when there’s mass coverage and outrage about a given event. Since this was the Carlisle fans at fault, the media simply couldn’t care less, but I’d be willing to bet all my worldly possessions that if the boot was on the other foot, Leeds United would now be suffering the consequences.

Leeds United moved back into second place with a comfortable win over a Carlisle side with one of the worst central defensive partnerships you’re ever likely to see.

It was the strange cycle of League One results that helped Leeds United clinch back an automatic place. Only a couple of weeks back, Millwall strolled to a 2-0 victory over Leeds United. Leeds finally got back to winning ways however with a win over Yeovil Town, so logic suggests that Millwall are better than Leeds, Leeds are better than Yeovil so Millwall should pretty much walk past Yeovil. Unfortunately for Millwall, logic is something that rarely applies to League One and it was only a last gasp goal that clinched them a 1-1 draw.

Leeds meanwhile had a much easier time of it as they exploited a weak Carlisle defence without the help of top-goalscorer Jermaine Beckford. Before Leeds registered their first goal, Max Gradel missed what was a great one on one chance v the Carlisle keeper and Richard Naylor had a header ruled out for what I assume was pushing in the box. Snoddy also had a chance to put Leeds ahead but blazed his shot high over the bar as Carlisle’s defensive pairing – which included former Leeds United left-back Ian Harte – struggled to cope. All this, and the clock had only just hit ten minutes.

Just a few minutes later and Leeds took the lead they deserved with Luciano Becchio opening the scoring. A free-kick from Snoddy looked easy for the Carlisle keeper, but he spilled his catch and Luci was on hand to give Leeds United the lead.

The game continued in much the same manner with Luci missing a chance that was easier to score and Max Gradel losing out on another one on one chance against the Carlisle keeper. It’s no exaggeration when I say Leeds United should have been four or five goals up by this point.

As we’ve seen so many times however, failing to take your chances usually leads to you being punished and there was no let off here for the Whites. Minutes before half time Ian Harte whipped in a powerful free-kick which was weighted perfectly for Richard Keogh to direct it home and level the tie at the interval. As bad as Ian Harte was in defence, he was Carlisle’s biggest threat elsewhere. His perfectly hit free-kick made it all too easy for Keogh to level the tie. 1-1

A frustrating interval for the Leeds United faithful who almost unanimously agreed Beckford would have had a hattrick by now. Although definitely out of form lately, it’s hard to believe he wouldn’t have had a field day with the endless chances Leeds United wasted and the sheer uselessness of Carlisle’s defence.

Despite the wasted chances of the opening 45 minutes, Simon Grayson stood by his starting line-up and was rewarded almost instantly when Max Gradel fired Leeds United back in front. Leeds pressed forward immediately from the restart and with the first proper attack of the second period a cross landed nicely for Gradel who headed home to put Leeds back in front.

Just three minutes later and the game was over when a ball from Gradel set Luciano Becchio free who slotted home to put the game totally beyond Carlisle’s reach with forty minutes left to go. Euphoria broke out in the away end with the Leeds fans fully aware of the score in Yeovil and sensing there may be more to come for the Whites. “Na na na na na na na, Leeds are going up!” A welcomed return for that chant.

The Leeds fans were now urging Luciano Becchio on to finish his hattrick and he was gifted the perfect opportunity but his header from close range lacked direction and was far too easy for the opposition keeper. However happy he’ll be with the two goals, Luci must be disappointed with the series of easy chances he missed.

The game kind of died off with Leeds comfortably in front and Carlisle posing little threat. Beckford and Grella got a bit of a cameo role with a couple of minutes left to play but this was probably more time wasting than anything else as neither had any chance to score with the team seemingly happy with the scoreline.

Can’t help thinking this should have been closer to a rugby score, but it was total dominance from Leeds. Three straight wins and back in the automatic spot so can’t complain really.

Leeds without Beckford

Hard to say we were better without him because Carlisle’s defence was pathetic and he’d have probably had a field day had he started. Some of the chances Luci missed were criminal, but not surprising as he’s never been the most natural of goalscorers (and may not be 100% match fit). I guess the major difference is that Luci relies on hard work to get his goals, whilst Beckford gets his with clever positioning and by playing off the shoulder of the last man. In this game, Beckford would have definitely been more effective, but in those games where the chances are few and far between, the hard-working partnership of Becchio and Gradel would likely pay off. A definite thinking point for Larry as the debate undoubtedly rages on…

TSS man of the match

Despite my criticism of his missed chances, Luci’s hard work paid off and he won us the game so the man of the match could be no one elses. I know it sounds like I’m yoyo-ing a bit here, but two six yard misses are hard to ignore. Still, he never gave up, kept his head high and sent us back to Yorkshire with three points.

After our JPT meeting earlier in the season that led to a pitch invasion and several Leeds United players complaining of assault from opposition yobs, Leeds United will be looking to even the score on the pitch by recording our third straight win tomorrow night (Tuesday) in Carlisle.

Carlisle fans storm pitch after JPT shoot-out

Leeds United fans were understandably angered by the incidents at the time and the Football League’s failure to act hasn’t softened the mood. The FL do insist the matter is still under investigation but few will expect Carlisle to face any serious repercussions. Since it wasn’t the Leeds United fans at fault and the media didn’t pick up on it, it’ll be safely swept under the carpet and ignored.

Our lovable, media-friendly and totally uncontroversial chairman doesn’t seem to have helped matters much however. At the time, Bates was seemingly raging about the referee’s decision to have the penalties taken in front of their home support (as opposed to the neutral stand at the opposite end of the pitch) and also complained about laser pens being shone in the eyes of our penalty takers. None of these allegations were reported to the Football League however as a spokesman revealed;

“The League would only act on a matter such as this if it received a formal complaint from a club. In this instance we’ve had no such complaint,”

Sadly not the first time Mr. Bates has been all mouth, no action.

On the pitch, Carlisle United have absolutely nothing to play for sitting mid-table with no hopes of the play-offs and free of any relegation concerns. Their form however is pretty good, especially at home where they’ve won the last three consecutive matches. Overall, they’ve lost just once in their last six matches which was an away trip to Charlton.

Leeds United fans can take some optimism from Carlisle’s form against the top six. Of their ten matches against the top six in League One, Carlisle have only managed one victory and picked up just six points from a possible thirty.

Our last league meeting against Carlisle was back in September at Elland Road where Leeds United earnt a point rather fortuetously after being awarded a controversial penalty (which was missed and followed up by Beckford). Carlisle were also the last team to beat us at Elland Road before our unbeaten run which which went on for over a year.

The most recognisable face in opposition colours tomorrow will be that of Ian Harte, who has been in exceptional form for them this season, netting sixteen goals in forty-three appearences. As Leeds fans will remember, Ian Harte is deadly from set-plays and can always be a threat. 

Whilst Harte has always been an asset from dead balls, his defensive ability and pace have always been questionable. Leeds should be looking to exploit his lack of speed and acceleration with a pacey option such as Jermaine Beckford to play off his shoulder or Max Gradel to run at the ageing defender.

Simon Grayson has been calling for unity ahead of this game and for the fans to get behind struggling Jermaine Beckford. I agree with his comments entirely but suspect the ugly scenes at Elland Road won’t be repeated away from home where the atmosphere is generally much more supportive and less critical of the teams efforts.

With our first back-to-back wins of the year behind us, Leeds United will take some confidence into this game and hopefully return with the three points needed to keep the pressure on second place Millwall. The players will have bitter memories of Carlisle, but should channel that emotion into getting revenge in the best way possible – by winning!

I avoided this issue in my match report because, quite frankly, it’s news in it’s own right and goes far beyond the reaches of a 3rd division cup game. The stewarding, policing and protection afforded to our players following the JPT clash on Tuesday night was quite frankly atrocious and there’s been a queue of people from Leeds United lining up to blast Carlisle United’s poor organisation since.

I’ll start with the most opinionated of them all, which is quite obviously Uncle Ken, who pulls no punches by describing Carlisle as a ‘little club’ whose organistation was ‘very basic’. Not really controversial when you consider Ken Bates’ usual rants but I’m sure it’s upset a few people in Carlisle, as will his suggestion that the reasons behind the poor stewarding were ‘to save a few bob’. 

As someone not exactly alien to milking every available penny from whatever scenario presents itself, Ken Bates should be seen as a professor on the subject of maximising profits. For all his faults (and there are far too many to list) he’s shown his real skill in his time at Elland Road by helping our supporters lighten their pockets of those heavy notes that were weighing them down at every available opportunity.  

Ken Bates’ somewhat tactless comments may have hit the nail on the head. To be totally honest, I didn’t spare much of a thought to the stewarding until after the game, but given the over the top reaction many clubs put in place for the visit of Leeds United, it was somewhat restrained, which could mean one of two things.

• 1) Carlisle naively thought there was no real potential for trouble
• 2) Ken Bates is right and it was all about cost cutting.

I’m leaning towards the latter as Leeds United have a bad reputation in Carlisle already and anyone with two braincells to rub together could see the potential for trouble. This does mean I’m agreeing with Ken Bates, which is amongst my least favourite things (it irritates me almost as seeing Ashley Cole on the front of this mornings papers), but when a mans right, no matter how much of a distaste for him you have, you have to hold your hands up and agree.

That’s not to say I believe he’s doing this because he cares after the safety of his fellow man. This isn’t a new cuddly, caring version of Ken Bates we’re seeing. Let us not forget he once attempted to erect an electric fence around Stamford Bridge’s pitch to control the Chelsea fans. Maybe my cynicism is getting out of hand, but I can’t help thinking his motives are more to do with the possible compensation, not to mention the need to massage his over-inflated ego with another attention seeking rant.  

Grayson meanwhile was also extremely angered at the incident and says three Leeds United players were attacked while the Police and stewards were slow to react. He says he’s disappointed at the lack of protection afforded to his players and is glad the club intend to take the matter further with official complaints being made by Leeds United.

But finally – and for me, most interesting of all - we come to Richard Naylor. He attacks the stewards for making no effort to get the lads off the field and says it was stupid of them not to expect a pitch invasion. Quite right too. No matter how pointless the competition, it gives the winner the chance to play at Wembley and no matter who the fans are, they’ll celebrate afterwards.

The bit that most interested me about Naylor’s interview however was him questioning what the reaction would have been if this was Leeds United’s fans. As a lifelong Leeds United fan, Richard Naylor knows exactly how quickly we’re judged. Had this been Leeds United fans that stormed the pitch, make no mistake, it’d have been national news and we’d getting plasted from every angle and that’s the really infuriating part for me.

Whilst there was some coverage in the following mornings papers, this was nothing compared to what we’re met with when our own fans do something deemed to be unlawful. I know it’s the price you pay for being such a big club and that no one really cares about Carlisle United, but it’s not just the papers. The FA would have been making statements by now, Lord Mahwinney would be condemning our actions and everyone who is anyone would have an opinion, but because Leeds United are the victims and Carlisle the culprits, no one cares.

It’ll be interesting to see what the FA make of it all when they do decide to pay some attention to the matter. Measly fine and a statement saying ‘we hope the matter can now be put to rest’, you mark my words. That’s if Carlisle United aren’t totally cleared and the matter swept under the carpet anyway.

Won on the night, drew overall, but out on penalties. Despite a defiant comeback from a never say die Leeds United side who were unquestionaly the better team overall, it’s Carlisle that will play in this years JPT final at Wembley Stadium whilst Leeds United are dealt a bitter blow by the coin flip that is a penalty shoot-out.

I left Carlisle on Tuesday night feeling extremely bitter. The JPT for me was always a pointless competition I cared little about, but the opportunity to watch Leeds United play at Wembley once more was always tempting. My bitterness stemmed from quite possibly the worst referee I have ever seen. I usually try to ignore referee’s performances, because on the whole, the lower league ones are largely useless and both teams have to cope with their incompetence, but this referee was a special kind of moron.

Clearly, this ref had just got himself a new whistle and wanted to show it off to the 10,000 fans who he mistakenly believed had come to watch him. His whistle spent so much time in his mouth that the game hardly had a chance to flow early on, but he did seem to let up a little second half (presumably after a bollocking from someone) and the two teams were actually allowed to play football in small patches.

What was all the more irritating about this referee than the usual jobsworth was his inability to give a decision that actually mattered. If a player coughed near another one anywhere outside the penalty box then this was a definite free-kick in his mind. However, when a Leeds United player was fouled in the box for the most clear cut decision I saw all night, he gave nothing! The final blow for me though came at the very end when he decided to have the penalties taken infront of the Carlisle fans rather than at the opposite end which was split. The coin toss became a little more weighted in their direction at that point.

When the ref did stop to capture his breath, the game was actually a really good battle. The scoreline says it all really, but the comeback from Leeds United was magnificent. Both teams will be questioning some of the defending in the aftermath, most noticably Lubomir Michalik on our part who got himself two assists for Carlisle. Whenever it looked like it was over, Leeds United just didn’t give in and you could sense Mike Grella’s goal coming and just knew this was going down to the wire.

Carlisle for me didn’t deserve their place in the final, Leeds were the better team and but for some poor defending and a few dodgy decisions, we’d be playing in the most exciting JPT final the competition has ever seen infront of a capacity crowd at the national stadium. Without us, the final will hardly be thought of outside Carlisle, but we bow out of the competition with our heads held high and are now fully focused on what has been the number one priority all along. Promotion.

The ups

The fans – As always, the fans did Leeds United proud. We outsang the pitiful Carlisle fans throughout and even when our backs were to the wall facing a two goal mountain the songs just kept coming. MOT!

Never say die – The penalty shootout aside, this was a display from a spirited Leeds United who never gave up and carried on fighting no matter what the scoreline read and however stacked against us the odds were. This is the kind of display that will win Leeds United promotion, however bad the defence may be at times.

Attack, attack… attack, attack, attack! When the goals were needed and the referee kept his whistle out of his mouth for long enough and even without Jermaine Beckford (who would have probably got sent off with that ref) Leeds were good when on the front foot. Becchio should have done better with a couple of chances, but the build-up play from McSheffrey, Snoddy and Gradel was usually very good. Snoddy even managed to cross pretty well so long as the ball was moving. Corners on the other hand… Well, one step at a time…

The Downs

Luciano Becchio – Bitterly disappointed with Luci who bottled the penalty shoot-out, leaving our on-loan full-back to take the decisive penalty instead. Only one regular striker on the pitch in the absence of Beckford and he didn’t have the balls to step up and take a pen for Leeds. Whatever his reasons, he’s a striker and should always be taking them before the full-backs. Also could have done better infront of goal, but as a lone striker Grayson was asking a lot.

Max Gradel – Too much time with Jermaine Beckford has led to the youngster developing a serious attitude problem. The referee infuriated everyone, but shouting at him was never going to get you too far Max. There was one point where Kilkenny tried to calm him down only to receive a load of abuse too. His footballing display was good and he tried everything to give Leeds the edge, but his attitude overshadowed his performance. Lucky not to see a red card.

Lubomir Michalik – Dreadful. At times he made some good tackles and got the blocks in, but when taken into context with his mistakes, he was dreadful and cost us the game.

The tactics – Becchio as a lone striker? I know he’s found his shooting boots lately, but that was never a good idea. What on earth does Mike Grella have to do to get in the starting line-up at Leeds?

Leeds suffered their second defeat in a row at the hands of Carlisle United as the JPT brought an unwelcomed distraction to Elland Road. Whilst many are delighted to have knocked Manchester United out of the FA Cup and would love a trip to Wembley in the JPT, the cup runs are clearly coming at a price to Leeds United and the slump in form can only be attributed to an Old Trafford hangover added to the continued uncertainty around the future of Jermaine Beckford with Everton amongst the latest rumours.

There’s an argument that could suggest this weeks cup games give us the chance to get our poor run out of the way before getting back to League One action next week, and if that’s the case then so be it, but this was a third consecutive poor display from the Whites who look jaded and seem to be lacking in ideas at times.

It’s like watching the Leeds United side pre-Simon Grayson with us failing miserably at defending set-plays, lacking organisation in defence and fight across the pitch and failing to put away the chances that fall for us. Whilst there was a noticable improvement on Saturday’s display and Leeds were perhaps a little unlucky to lose, this still wasn’t good enough from the league leaders.

The lack of fight is what worries me the most. Complacency has definitely crept in and despite the January transfer window being open, no one seems to be fighting for the right to wear the shirt as much as they should be. To be beaten at Elland Road is bad enough, but to be beaten by a side struggling like Carlisle are and for them to control the game in large parts like they did is quite frankly embarrassing. 

I aren’t going to go through the match blow by blow, because there are so few positives to take from it. To say I’m disheartened would be an understatement, but I rest assured in the belief that Simon Grayson can turn this round. Up next is another distraction as we head to White Hart Lane in the FA Cup. I hope Simon Grayson rests the first team for this one and fields the reserves because I honestly couldn’t care less about winning it. The league is all that matters.

After the Spurs distraction, we head to Swindon back in League One. The entire teams focus should be on this game and this game alone, Tottenham is quite simply irrelevant. This form can’t continue or Charlton and Norwich will make us pay. The team need to understand that the important thing is escaping League One and forget their moment in the spotlight.

Final score: Leeds United 1-2 Carlisle United

A more in-depth match report can be found here at Travels of a Leeds fan

FA Cup R4 – Spurs v Leeds

The FA Cup fourth round clash will once again be shown live on ITV, making it the fourth consecutive televised tie for Leeds United (I’m counting the one shown of theFA.com as we received the television fee for it).

The game has been scheduled for a 5:15pm kick-off on January the 23rd. Leeds haven’t played Tottenham Hotspur since January 2004 when Spurs beat us 1-0 at Elland Road. Although the history of the tie shows very little between the two sides, Leeds haven’t beat Tottenham since 2001, when we beat them 2-1 both home and away.

Possibly our most historic victory over Spurs was back in 1992 when we beat Spurs 5-0. Leeds United were champions at the time and Eric Cantona scored the Premier League’s first ever hattrick.

JPT area final – Leeds v Carlisle

Dates for both the two-legged JPT area final have now been confirmed. We’ll play Carlisle at Elland Road on the 19th of January with tickets on sale today at Cat C prices. The return leg at Carlisle will take place on the 9th of February which is a Tuesday with an evening kick-off time of 19:45. With a place at Wembley up for grabs, this should be a good game.

Tamas Vasko

No, I’ve never heard of him either but if you were to believe reports in the Daily Mirror (and no one would blame you for being sceptical) he’s about to join Leeds United on-loan. Tamas is a centre-back so Leeds are presumably looking for cover for Rui Marques whilst he’s on African Nations duty.

He currently plays for Hungarian club, Ujpest Dozsa (wiki link) and has spent the last few seasons on loan, most notably at Bristol City where he made 19 league appearences and also contributed a goal.

Today marks the one year anniversary of Simon Grayson’s reign as Leeds United boss, and what a fantastic year it’s been. Time to take a look back at all those ‘ups and downs!’

UP – The revival

Gary McAllister’s reign as Leeds United boss came to an end after five straight defeats, which included the embarrassing exit from the FA Cup away to lowly Histon. Simon Grayson quickly identified the flaws, strengthening the defence and inspiring a new confidence in Leeds United that led them on a remarkable run, ending the season just five points off the automatic spots in position for another dice roll in the play-offs.

DOWN – More playoff heartache

The reborn Leeds United appeared almost untouchable under Simon Grayson’s leadership, but our second attempt at escape from League One via the play-offs ended once more in heartache for the Whites. This time, we went out in the semi-finals to Millwall 2-1 on aggregate. Clearly, the only way to escape League One for Leeds United was automatic promotion and Grayson was under no illusions that that’s what we needed in 2009/10.

DOWN – Villa make Fabulous signing

After weeks of rumours, the inevitable sale of Fabian Delph was finally confirmed. Leeds United’s brightest prospect was to be sold to Aston Villa and with his exit, the Leeds fans feared we’d taken a step backwards and this showed a lack of ambition from the current board. The fans were spirits were temporarily lifted when Bates left us under the impression the money would be used to help repurchase Thorp Arch. Another ‘down’ in waiting as the board screwed us royally again, the funds vanished and the training complex’s deadline would pass without repurchase.

UP – Fresh faces, fresh start, fresh approach

With almost no money spent on the transfer market whatsoever, Leeds fans feared the worst as the new campaign got underway. The players Grayson had brought in for nothing however proved to be more than capable, especially Patrick Kisnorbo and Shane Higgs who strengthened the defence massively and led Leeds to the longest unbeaten run in the country.

Whilst leading the team to the top of League One looking like we were in second gear for much of it, Grayson also smashed two of Don Revie’s records. The first would come early doors when Grayson’s team won their first eight consecutive games breaking a record that had stood since 1973.

UP – Fortress Elland Road

Another record breaker for Grayson as his side won fifteen consecutive matches at Elland Road. Impressive in it’s own right, but possibly surpassed by the current run of remaining unbeaten at home for almost a year (and counting).

UP – Cup kings

Early in the season Grayson’s team secured a showpiece Elland Road clash against the mighty Liverpool in the League Cup. Whilst none of us expected to win the game, the Whites came close and ran Liverpool ragged for 90 minutes. A simply brilliant display from the lads, who were unlucky to eventually lose 1-0.

Meanwhile, in other competitions Leeds United are set for a trip to Old Trafford to start the new year with a rekindled rivalry against Manchester United. We’re also well on course for a trip to Wembley in the JPT if we can overcome Carlisle United in the regional final. I’m still unsure as to whether the mighty Simon Grayson can turn around our fortunes at Wembley, but I’ll try and remain optimistic should the chance arise.

DOWN – The Jermaine Beckford saga

The endless rumours surrounding Jermaine Beckford have been a constant area of media attention for Simon Grayson. Whilst reassurances have been made again and again by the board and manager, the national rags can’t resist linking him with every club in need of a few goals.

Beckford may have made the decision to sell a little easier for Leeds United though. They’ve said all along that should a ‘ridiculous offer’ come in, then they’d have to consider it, but as it stands he’d be at Leeds until the summer. His antics against Southampton, where he sulked off the pitch and down the tunnel seem to have turned even more fans against him though and a transfer could well be inevitable.

UP – It’s going to be a White Christmas

Victory over Southampton put Leeds United four clear at the top of League One with a game in hand on Alan Pardew’s chasing Charlton Athletic. It also put Leeds well beyond the halfway point in expected points to win the League and the Whites’ sit comfortably on 50 points having played 21 games. This time last year, Leicester City topped the table with 47 points.

Leeds have only lost once in League One so far this season and will head the table on Christmas day, just like Leicester City did last season. Simon Grayson’s record so far at Leeds United speaks for itself. Of the 57 games he’s took charge of for the Whites, Leeds have won 38 with an overall success rate of 73%. Even the legendary Don Revie couldn’t top that with his record standing at 62%. Of course, the sample size is much smaller and they competed in different leagues at different times, but under Grayson we seem to be going from strength to strength.

UP – In Grayson we trust

I hope Grayson has a chance to look back on his first year in charge and celebrate everything he’s achieved so far. His performance as Leeds United manager has been remarkable and he’s been the answer to every Leeds United fans prayers. A lifelong Leeds fan himself, he knows exactly what the fans expect and is striving to deliver. I congratulate him on his progress so far and hope he continues to build upon that success. Marching on together!

When Hogan Ephraim’s shot deflected in after just eight minutes, it looked like it was going to be all too easy for Leeds United, but if the opening goal was lucky, the atrocious defending that went unpunished thereafter was miraculous.

Grayson rung the changes to his side. Richard Naylor returned to the team and partnered Lubomir Michalik at the back, with Crowe and Hughes playing at full-back. On-loan Liverpool goalkeeper, David Martin made his debut and there was also starts for Hogan Ephraim, Tresor Kandol and Mike Grella.

After Ephraim’s fortuitous opening goal, Leeds never applied any real pressure. The best chances we had for the remainder of the first half fell to Kandol, who had a shot blocked by the Accrington keeper’s legs and a hopeful shot from Robert Snodgrass that went wide.

Accrington meanwhile probably had as many chances as Leeds including a free-header from a corner that their striker really should have buried. The lack of man-marking from the set-piece was a sign of things to come as the shaky Leeds defence made the game harder than it should have been.

The second half brought with it another early goal when Ephraim crossed for Kilkenny who headed home. 2-0 to Leeds and things really should have been wrapped up.

Accrington never put their heads down though and kept fighting. Had it not been for a lucky save from David Martin which flicked on to the post and came back out in to the path of a White shirt, Accrington could have been back in it. More fortune for Leeds as the woodwork came to their rescue again and the Leeds defence continued to scare the life out of the 12,000 inside Elland Road.

Grayson changed the front two with Kandol and Grella making way for Vokes and Gradel. Neither of the departing strikers will have been happy with their shift as they did little to threaten Stanley’s keeper throughout. Gradel forced an impressive save from the Accrington keeper late on, but the substitutes didn’t have much more luck than the two they replaced and Accrington continued to look the more likely to score.

Such was the state of Leeds United at the back, Simon Grayson made the decision to bring on Patrick Kisnorbo in place of Robert Snodgrass, effectively changing the formation to 5-3-2. Probably not something he’d expected to have to do before the fixture, but Naylor and Lubo just weren’t keeping the visitors at bay.

Leeds managed to escape the fixture with a clean sheet, but if todays team was supposed to show the quality of this squads depth then we have problems. I know Doyle is often seen as the weak link in midfield, but the job he does in suring up the defence is invaluable. His absence today was noticable throughout. The partnership of Lubo and Naylor didn’t work and the full-backs didn’t inspire much confidence either.

Elsewhere, Grella and Kandol never really had a chance to shoot. The difference between the two sides was only Leeds taking their chances. There were very few clear cut chances for the Whites as we rarely looked in a hurry to attack, but the ones we did have were converted. Accrington meanwhile will have been disappointed with some of their finishing, most notably the free-headet in the first half. However, they’ll also be cursing their luck with the woodwork coming to our rescue twice.

Regardless of how many changes we made tonight, we have to improve before the weekend. Southampton are a strong side and with Rickie Lambert upfront, they’ll be sure to punish such sloppy defending. The main thing is that we’re through to the final where we’ll meet Carlisle United. Although I’d have preferred to play the Leeds suburb of Bradford, we’re still in the race for Wembley and that’s the main thing.

TSS man of the match
I’m going to give it to the Elland Road woodwork tonight as without it, we’d have probably been knocked out on penalties. Hogan Ephraim deserves a shout too though. Although he did little to help out defensively (like the rest of the team) he got himself a goal and an assist, so an obvious choice.