2 days Ago
LEADERS Leeds United missed a great chance to turn the screw on their Championship rivals as Blackburn Rovers snatched an equaliser in stoppage time. The Whites were on the cusp of a tenth straight victory at Elland Road before defender Danny Batth scrambled home after United failed to deal with a corner. The leveller came just two minutes after Pascal Struijk calmly netted from the spot after referee Oliver Langford adjudged that Dominic Hyam had fouled substitute Mateo Joseph.
Even then Leeds almost snatched a winner in the 10th minute of additional time when Max Wober’s fierce volley drew a fine save from Aynsley Pears – one of the few times the visiting goalkeeper was tested. Leeds had to settle for a 1-1 draw which was enough to keep them top as chasing Burnley were also held at home by lowly Stoke while Sheffield United lost at Sunderland. The late excitement at LS11 was in sharp contrast with what the fans had to endure for most of the afternoon.
Leeds were blunted by Rovers’ defensive solidity and spoiler tactics for the vast majority of the New Year’s Day fixture. Daniel Farke’s men were ponderous in their build-up play while the flow of the game was not helped by a string of injuries. Well-drilled Blackburn defended in numbers denying Leeds time and space to create any clear-cut chances.
Farke brought on Patrick Bamford, Willy Gnonto and Joseph in the closing stages to operate with two strikers rather than one in the shape of Joel Piroe. That opened up the game with Leeds finally getting a sight at goal. Aaronson shot over, James planted a free-kick into Pears’ midriff then just failed to connect with a Manor Solomon centre before Gnonto fired a volley just wide.
At the other end the unmarked Harry Leonard fluffed a good headed chance. Farke’s tactical switch looked as though it had worked when Joseph won the penalty - a decision which infuriated the Rovers camp. Struijk’s spotkick appeared to have made it 10 successive home wins for Leeds but Batth’s equaliser gave Blackburn the point they had been set up to take back to Lancashire.
Farke said: “It was definitely not our best game today. I think the lads looked a bit tired. In the first half we moved the ball too slow and didn’t create many chances.
“Also, credit to Blackburn. They are well-structured and good at defending. I feel for my lads because it was not the best performance, but great mentality.
They kept going forward and didn’t lose their nerve. “We feel a bit disappointed, yes. We know we can’t win all the games.
The problem is you want to win them all. But if you can't, you take the point and move on.” Leeds, three points ahead of Burnley and Sheffield United, will check on full-backs Sam Byram and Jayden Bogle ahead of Saturday’s game at Hull City.
York-raised Byram was withdrawn at half-time through illness while Bogle suffered a dead-leg..
