Leeds fight back to set up Tottenham clash

Leeds United booked their place in the FA Cup Fourth Round with a second half fight back at Birmingham City.

Leeds looked to be heading out of the competition after Wade Elliott had given Birmingham a first half lead.

Elliott had scored the opening goal in the initial tie at Elland Road earlier this month and he was on hand at the far post to pick his spot after a sweeping Birmingham move down the right.

After a run of four away defeats in a row, Leeds showed a little more promise in the first half without ever testing Birmingham goalkeeper Colin Doyle.

Sam Byram had a good chance in front of goal but he failed to make a clean contact with his shot and Luke Varney headed wide.

Leeds started the second half much more brightly and for the first time in weeks; they actually got the ball down and passed it around and there was pace and movement.

Rodolph Austin tested Doyle, when the keeper could only parry his shot from the edge of the area.

Leeds got level with just twenty minutes remaining. El Hadji Diouf got in behind the Birmingham defence and he teed up Ross McCormack who picked his spot.

Six minutes later, former Leeds loan defender Paul Robinson was guilty of handling in the area and birthday boy Diouf stepped up to cheekily chip Doyle for the winner.

Paul Green then missed a great chance to ease Leeds nerves when he fired over when in a good position.

Birmingham brought on Nikola Zigic in the final ten minutes as they desperately searched for an equaliser.

The giant striker scored five times in the two games between the sides last season and he came close to drawing the side`s level when his header was cleared off the line.

Moments later, Leeds goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown pulled off a great save to deny Peter Lovenkrands.

Despite three minutes of added time, it proved to be the last meaningful chance for either side as Leeds ran down the clock.

The win at St Andrews now sets up a mouth-watering clash with Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road on Sunday January 27th (2pm).




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