Continuing on with the review of the season, we have reached December and just when you thought things couldn`t get much worse for Gary McAllister after the Histon defeat, they do!
Leeds were back in League action after the embarrassment of the FA Cup defeat at Histon, this time at Tranmere.
Enoch Showunmi gave Leeds the lead early in the game but their delight was to be short lived when Anthony Kay equalised.
Rovers took all three points when former Leeds striker Ian Moore scored.
Leeds thought they had earned a point when Becchio headed in but it was ruled out for a push.
Leeds returned to Elland Road for the first time in four games hoping to end a run of three consecutive defeats.
Once again the Whites took the lead when Robert Snodgrass scored just past the half hour.
Colchester equalised in controversial circumstances on the stroke of half time, Rui Marques was ordered off the field to change his shirt whilst Leeds were defending a corner. Dean Hammond equalised from the resulting corner much to the frustration of the Leeds United players and David Prutton was booked for his protests.
Prutton`s booking was to prove crucial as he was sent off for his second yellow card of the afternoon on 66 minutes for a foul on David Perkins, from the resulting free kick Mark Yeates won all three points for Colchester to mount even more pressure on boss Gary McAllister.
What Leeds really didn`t need was a trip to inform MK Dons and the home side duly took all three points to make it five defeats in a row for Leeds.
Dons were two up inside twenty minutes through O`Hanlon and Wilbrahim, Robert Snodgrass gave Leeds a bit of hope with a sweetly struck volley early in the second half but that was to be short lived when Wilbrahim gave the Dons a two goal advantage once again.
There were no more goals in the game and it was one defeat to many for Chairman Ken Bates who sacked Gary McAllister the following day to leave Leeds searching for a new manager going into the Christmas period.
Leeds acted very quickly for a change on the manager front, in came ex Leeds defender Simon Grayson from Blackpool.
Grayson had helped the Tangerines to promotion from League One and survival in their first season in the Championship in his first manager`s job. The appointment came as a shock to quite a few Leeds fans that were looking for a ‘big name` replacement.
Grayson`s first game in charge was against one of his former clubs Leicester City at Elland Road, the Foxes were setting the pace in League One.
City looked like taking all three points when Matt Oakley gave them a first half lead, for the first time in a while Leeds showed a bit of fighting spirit and Robert Snodgrass equalised in injury time.
Snodgrass had come off the bench to score the goal, he was becoming one of the form players in the Leeds side.
Leeds were soon back in action with a noon kick off at Stockport County only two days later.
Things on the road looked like they were going to continue to be poor when County scored in the first five minutes through Johnny Mullins.
Leeds looked like the arrival of Grayson had given them a boost and by half time were on level terms thanks to a goal from Lucciano Becchio.
A wonder goal by Fabian Delph from 35 yards after a poor clearance by the County keeper and a one and only goal for the club by Malcolm Christie gave Leeds a rare away win.
The result left Leeds in ninth place, five points from the play offs at the end of the year although fans had renewed optimism after the arrival of Simon Grayson.
Could the form continue into the New Year or was it another false dawn for Leeds fans?
The review of January will follow next week.
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