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Leeds United 3, Northampton Town 0
LEEDS United leapfrogged over Millwall to finish in fourth place in League One after a comfortable victory rounded off their regular season.
In front of the biggest crowd of the season at Elland Road - 34,214 - a first half goal from Luciano Becchio and second half efforts from Jermaine Beckford and Robert Snodgrass saw the Whites through to a 3-0 victory.
In the process they finished on 84 points, five behind second-placed Peterborough and two in front of Millwall, who lost their last league game at Carlisle. The 3-0 result also saw Northampton relegated.
The crowd was in party mood from the start and the team responded with Fabian Delph going on a fantastic run in the third minute, racing 40 yards before curling a shot only inches the wrong side of the post with visiting keeper Chris Dunn well beaten.
Two minutes later, it was Ben Parker's turn to produce a surging run down the left and Andy Robinson got in behind the Northampton defence only to pull the back behind all the strikers.
Town defended well, however, and knowing that a point would be enough to keep them up they packed their own half with 10 men for most of the opening period.
Leeds were beginning to get frustrated, but chances did arrive towards the end of the half, Beckford having one effort blocked following a superb through ball from Jonny Howson and Rui Marques sending a looping header straight to the keeper.
An astute switch of wings with Robinson going to the left and Delph to the right eventually led to United unlocking the Northampton defence as Robinson cut in to fire a rasping drive that Dunn could not hold. The visitors failed to clear and when Parker immediately crossed the ball back from the left flank Becchio was there to meet it with a header that brought him his 18th goal of the season.
Town had to go for it in the second half and it was a more end to end game for a spell, but their finishing lacked conviction and it was Leeds who scored again on the hour as substitute Snodgrass slipped in Beckford and the top scorer did the rest with another smart finish for his 34th goal of the campaign.
More goals could have followed as Snodgrass sent a 25-yard free-kick just over, Beckford fired wide from close range and Robinson missed a sitter with only the keeper to beat.
But in injury time they did finally put the game to bed when a quick free-kick sent Robinson clear and his cross was spectacularly volleyed home by Snodgrass.
Match facts
Leeds United 3
(Becchio 44, Beckford 60, Snodgrass 90)
Northampton Town 0
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Coca-Cola League One
Att: 34,214
Leeds: Ankergren, Douglas, Marques, Naylor, Parker (Richardson 67), Robinson, Howson, Kilkenny (Snodgrass 58), Delph, Becchio, Beckford (Grella 78).
Northampton: Dunn, Dolman, Hughes, Crowe, Jackman, Constantine, Guttridge, Osman, Holt (Davis 63), Anya (Larkin 63), Akinfenwa.
Referee: A Penn.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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