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Sublime Snodgrass secures win

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On a day when Leeds United past and present turned out to remember Gary Speed a left footed winger stole the show on the pitch.

Robert Snodgrass scored twice in the space of three minutes in the second half, to secure the three points for Leeds.

His first, a trademark free kick from the edge of the area and his second was a diving header that Speed himself would have been proud of.

The game was preceded with a fantastic minute`s applause for Speed, with his former colleague`s Gordon Strachan, Gary McAllister and David Batty clearly struggling with their emotions leading the applause.

Managers Simon Grayson and Kenny Jackett also laid wreaths behind each goal prior to kick off.

As they did at Nottingham Forest, Leeds fans sang the name of Gary Speed for eleven minutes from the eleventh minute.

On the pitch, Leeds were looking to build on their midweek triumph at Forest and Luciano Becchio went close inside ten minutes when he headed just wide.

Robert Snodgrass then saw a cross cleared off the line and Danny Pugh`s follow up was blocked by a Millwall defender.

Leeds were dealt a blow before half time when both Jonny Howson and Michael Brown had to be withdrawn through injury.

Millwall had a couple of decent chances before the break. Alex McCarthy made a fine save to deny Darius Henderson and Jack Smith fired just wide of a post.

McCarthy was again called into action early in the second half when he made another fine save to deny Scott Barron from a free kick.

Lloyd Sam had replaced Howson in the first half and he was beginning to cause the Millwall defence problems down the right.

On the other side, Snodgrass was also causing the visitors defence problems and he saw an effort go just wide.

Leeds eventually took the lead just past the hour when Adam Clayton was fouled on the edge of the area.

Snodgrass stepped up to send an unstoppable free kick past Steve Midenhall in the Millwall goal.

Leeds did not have to wait long to double their lead. This time the head of Snodgrass met a ball into the box by Sam and he once again gave Mildenhall little chance.

The goal was the Scotland midfielder`s fifth goal in his last four games and he now has seven for the season, the same total as last season.

The two goals killed the game off as a contest with Leeds now in total control.

Mildenhall had to make two fine saves to deny Becchio and Sam as Leeds coasted to the three points.

Despite the win, Leeds remain in fifth place, although the gap on the top two closed with both Southampton and West Ham suffering surprise defeats.

The win also makes it four in the last five games, as Leeds will be hoping to push for a promotion place in the second half of the season.

The day was all about Gary Speed and it would be a fitting tribute if the side could be celebrating a return to the Premier League at the end of April.

Teams
Leeds
McCarthy, Connolly, Kisnorbo, Lees, White, Snodgrass, Howson (Sam 36), Clayton, Pugh, Brown (Keogh 40), Becchio

Subs not used
Taylor, Bromby, Nunez

Millwall
Mildenhall, Barron (Bouazza 68), Robinson, Baker, Abdou, Trotter, Smith, Lowry (Ward 85), Feeney (Henry 73), Henderson, Simpson

Subs not used
Allsopp, Marquis

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