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Leeds United left stunned by home defeat
LEEDS United's 13-month long, 26-match unbeaten run at home in League One was ended amid controversy and a poor performance against Walsall at Elland Road.
Even the bonus of a fluke goal from Gary McSheffrey could not lift United enough from their lethargy and they have now won only one of their last seven league games.
Manager Simon Grayson lambasted the players after the latest display, particularly in the first half, and said that he could have taken any of them off at the break so poor all over the pitch were they.
Leeds were flat from the start against Walsall, but their opponents rarely threatened in the first half in one of the most drab 45 minutes of football ever seen at Elland Road.
Jason Crowe sent a header wide when well placed, Bradley Johnson forced a save from visiting keeper Clayton Ince after a smart one-two with the fit-again Jermaine Beckford on the edge of the box and Robert Snodgrass headed a half chance wide. That was about it in terms of action the first half. Matt Richards' free-kick over the bar and a Julian Gray shot well wide were the only replies from a poor-looking Walsall team.
But the second half started with a bang as the visitors took advantage of static defending for Dwayne Mattis to volley home within a minute of the restart.
United equalised eight minutes later with a lucky goal when McSheffrey completely mis-hit his cross from the left wing and the ball somehow looped over keeper Ince, who had to change direction after anticipating the intended ball in.
Grayson threw on Mike Grella and Max Gradel for the out of sorts Snodgrass and Luciano Becchio and briefly they sparked a much better display with Beckford shooting wide and Gradel having a shot saved by Ince.
But just when Leeds appeared to be on top, a rare Walsall attack won them a corner and from it big centre-half Clayton McDonald, who earlier escaped a sending off by the skin of his teeth after pulling back Beckford in a professional foul after already being booked, headed goalwards. Casper Ankergren appeared to have saved, but the assistant referee ruled the ball had gone over the line and the visitors had a winner they scarcely deserved.
TV replays since have proved inconclusive, but manager Grayson did not complain too loudly.
"We got what we deserved - nothing," he said.
Match facts
Leeds United 1
(McSheffrey 54)
Walsall 2
(Mattis 46, McDonald 81)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Coca-Cola League One
Att: 18,941
Leeds: Ankergren, Crowe, Naylor, Bromby, Lowry, Snodgrass (Gradel 60), Kilkenny (Howson 75), Johnson, McSheffrey, Becchio (Grella 60), Beckford.
Walsall: Ince, Westlake, McDonald, Vincent, Richards, Till (Bradley 45), Taundry, Mattis, Gray, Nicholls, Deeney.
Referee: J Singh
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