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Beckford leads way in four star Leeds United display
LEEDS United answered doubts about their ability to last the pace in the League One promotion race as they hammered four goals past Tranmere to get back on the winning trail on Tuesday night.
Without a win away since they beat Manchester United in the FA Cup at the start of the year, the pressure was on Simon Grayson's men to deliver and they responded in great style to go two up in the first 16 minutes.
Robert Snodgrass opened the scoring when his curling free-kick evaded everyone in the area to sail into the net and it was 2-0 soon after when Gary McSheffrey's run into the box ended with him being brought down and Jermaine Beckford stepped up to score from the resulting penalty.
Tranmere hit back within three minutes as John Welsh netted from a corner, but Leeds made it 3-1 when Beckford pulled wide and crossed perfectly for striker partner Luciano Becchio to head home his 12th goal of the season.
Becchio came close to making it four before half-time with a chip just over and Beckford was denied by home keeper Luke Daniels as United finished the first half well on top.
United survived an appeal for a penalty early in the second half when the ball bounced up to hit Aidan White on the arm, but the action soon switched to the other end with Beckford shooting narrowly wide.
A fourth goal was needed to make sure of the points and it arrived on 65 minutes when Beckford latched onto a long ball forward and produced a perfect lob for his 27th goal of the season.
United saw out the remainder with just one late alarm as Casper Ankergren made a fine save to keep out Alan Mahon's long range strike and with the win safely delivered they have now gone back five points in front of third-placed Charlton and to within four of leaders Norwich.
Match facts
Tranmere Rovers 1
(Welsh 19)
Leeds United 4
(Snodgrass 9, Beckford 16, pen, 65, Becchio 34)
Tuesday, March 8, 2010
Coca-Cola League One
Att: 8,346
Tranmere: Daniels, O'Neill (Logan 72), Broomes, Goodison, Bakayogo, Welsh, McLaren, Edds (Mahon 76), Curran, Sordell (Savage 45), Thomas-Moore.
Leeds: Ankergren, Hughes, Kisnorbo, Naylor, White, Snodgrass (Gradel 76), Howson, Doyle, McSheffrey, Beckford (Dickov 83), Becchio (Kandol 76).
Referee: Rob Shoebridge.
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