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Beckford the hero again as United defeat rivals
A GOAL in each half from Jermaine Beckford helped Leeds United to make it eight straight home wins at Elland Road when they overcame promotion rivals MK Dons.
In what could turn out to be a dress rehearsal for a play-off semi-final between these two teams, United out-battled their opponents and were worthy winners to move within a point of them in the League One table.
After an even first 20 minutes, United gradually got on top with new loan signing Sam Sodje turning in an eye-catching performance at centre back to ensure that the injured Rui Marques was not missed.
In fact so well did Leeds defend that their free-scoring opponents - who have notched more goals than any other team in the Football League -only brought one save out of home keeeper Casper Ankergren in the whole of the game.
That save was to tip wide a Sam Baldock free-kick from just outside the area on 10 minutes.
Leeds' first chance did not arrive until the 21st minute when Beckford went on a storming run from half way only for it to end with a tame shot wide from the edge of the box.
The Whites looked lively, though, and their tactics of chasing down the Dons back four and forcing them to give the ball away was beginning to pay dividends.
Robert Snodgrass brought the first save out of Dons keeper Willy Gueret after cutting in from his right wing position to fire a shot in. Richard Naylor then came up from the back to meet a Snodgrass free-kick, but could only direct his header staright at Gueret.
But from another free-kick on 37 minutes, taken this time by left back Ben Parker, Luciano Becchio won a header and sent the ball across the box where Beckford was waiting to pounce with a sweetly struck volley. This was Beckford's 30th goal of the campaign and his 50th for the club.
He almost had another two minutes later when mis-kicking after Fabian Delph set him up with a chance inside the box and Leeds finished the first half well on top with Sodje sending a header on to the roof of the net from a corner.
United started the second half strongly too and six minutes in Beckford fired an angled shot just over.
Three minutes later, great work by Snodgrass in initially tracking back to win the ball in a tackle led to a second home goal. Quick as a flash, Snodgrass was up in attack and played a perfect through ball for Beckford to fire home his second of the day with a confident finish.
The visitors were in danger of being overrun as a long ball set Beckford free, but the top scorer this time pulled his shot just wide with only the keeper to beat.
Leeds lost Sodje to injury on the hour mark and the game changed with MK Dons finally showing glimpses of what had them in the top two for so long this season.
However, the hosts, with Lubomir Michalik on at centre back, saw out the game comfortably enough and the only two efforts of note for their opponents were a Baldock flick wide after former Leeds player Jemal Johnson had rounded Parker down the flank and a Jude Stirling header over when he had found himself unmarked from a corner.
At the other end, Luciano Becchio's header was kept out by Gueret, who needed two attempts to save, but Leeds were more content to settle for what they had got in the closing 20 minutes.
What had earlier been a fast, free-flowing game became a stop-start affair, broken up by fouls, six substitutions and many injury stoppages. Leeds did not care on this occasion as they had the points safely in the bank and had severly dented MK Dons' chances of an automatic promotion place. At the same time, they have taken a giant stride themselves towards clinching a play-off place.
Match facts
Leeds United 2
(Beckford 37, 54)
MK Dons 0
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Coca-Cola League One
Att: 27,649
Leeds: Ankergren, Douglas, Sodje (Michalik 60), Naylor, Parker, Snodgrass (Dickinson 90), Howson, Kilkenny (Hughes 72), Delph, Becchio, Beckford.
Dons: Gueret, Cummings (Stirling 67), Llera (Gerba 82), O'Hanlon, Lewington, Regan (Johnson 58), Leven, Navarro, Puncheon, Baldock, Wilbrahim.
Referee: N Swarbrick
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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