Leeds Utd Match Zone

Dramatic win for Leeds

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Leeds welcomed Norwich to Elland Road and welcomed back Shane Higgs, Jason Crowe and Robert Snodgrass to the side.

Also making his debut was new loan signing Sam Vokes, fellow new loan signing Max Gradel won a place on the bench.

The one bad bit of news was influential defender Patrick Kisnorbo was missing through injury.

A hard game looked on the cards and both teams were trying to stamp their authority on the game early on.

Richard Naylor was booked for Leeds inside the first minute for a rash challenge, the incident left him needing four stitches in a head wound which kept him off the pitch for almost ten minutes.

Norwich player Stephen Hughes was quick to join him in the book for a poor challenge on Jason Crowe.

The visitors had the first real chance when Higgs eventually cleared Russell`s shot at the second attempt.

New signing Vokes had his first sight of goal for Leeds, his long range effort going harmlessly wide.

Norwich then had a great chance to take the lead when Hoolahan found himself in lots of space inside the area but his shot was straight at Higgs.

Leeds took the lead on fifteen minutes when Bradley Johnson leapt high to head into the net from a corner.

Shane Higgs who returned in the Leeds goal had to be replaced shortly afterwards with what looked like a reoccurrence of his thigh injury that had been keeping him out.

The goal spurred Leeds on to look for a second and Johnson, Howson and Vokes all had efforts wide of the target.

Beckford almost grabbed Leeds a second after a good run, unfortunately he snatched his shot wide of the post.

Norwich equalised on 38 minutes when Grant Holt out muscled Bradley Johnson at the far post to give Ankergren no chance in the Leeds goal.

Norwich enjoyed most of the remaining minutes of the first half without calling Ankergren into action.

The second half proved a much tighter half with chances at a premium early on.

It took until halfway through the half before Holt forced Ankergren into a great save with Norwich enjoyed the vast amount of the possession.

This sprung Leeds into action and Forster made a great save from a Snodgrass free kick.

The turning point of the game was when Leeds introduced new loan signing Gradel from the bench, he made an immediate impact and came close to setting up Beckford twice in his first minute on the pitch.

When Beckford finally got on the end of a Gradel pass Forster kept out the Leeds striker with a fantastic save.

Beckford looked to have wasted a great chance for Leeds in injury time when another great ball across the box found him but his sliding shot went wide of the post.

From the resulting corner though Leeds won the game, a terrible goal kick from Forster went straight to Beckford who ran in on goal to steer the ball past the distraught keeper.

A very hard fought win for Leeds which sends them back to the top of the table against a very well organised Norwich side who should definitely be in the top three come the end of the season.


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