Leeds recent good run came to a shuddering halt at Derby County, going down 3-1 at Pride Park.
Leeds looked a shadow of the side that had won three games in a row. They had no player able to put a foot on the ball and the midfield either being bypassed by long balls or being outplayed by 17-year-old Derby midfielder Will Hughes, who dominated throughout.
It was Hughes powerful run deep into the Leeds half that set up the first goal. His lay off found Connor Sammon who outstripped Lee Peltier far too easily before wrong footing Paddy Kenny with a miss hit shot.
Leeds were struggling to make any headway but somehow went in level at half time. Luciano Becchio headed into the path of Paul Green and he placed the ball wide of Adam Legzdins in the Derby goal to score on his return to his old club.
Leeds started the second half much brighter and Ryan Hall came close to putting them ahead when Michael Jacobs acrobatically cleared his effort off the line.
Derby went ahead again halfway through the second half when a poor headed clearance by Luciano Becchio fell to Richard Keogh and Jake Buxton turned in his shot from close range.
Leeds responded and Norris had a fierce effort from the edge of the area turned away by Legzdins.
Tom Lees came even closer when his header hit the inside of a post and cleared off the line.
Substitute El Hadji Diouf gave Leeds more impetus in the final fifteen minutes and he saw an effort from outside the area go just wide of the post.
Derby clinched the game in injury time when slack play in defence allowed Ben Davies to pick his spot from the edge of the area.
Teams
Derby County:
Legzdins, Brayford, Keogh, Buxton (O`Brien 79), O`Connor, Coutts, Hendrick, Hughes (Freeman 90), Robinson (Davies 82), Sammon, Jacobs
Subs not used:
Fielding, Tyson, Doyle, Bennett
Leeds United:
Kenny, Byram, Lees, Tate, Peltier, Green, Tonge, Norris (White 80), Becchio, McCormack (Diouf 74), Hall (Varney 68)
Subs not used:
Ashdown, Pearce, Varney, Brown
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