Players’ response delights Leeds United boss Redfearn

Off field problems were forgotten as the Whites won 1-0 thanks to a superb Luke Murphy strike and Redfearn was proud of the way the players responded to the disappointment at the club that Massimo Cellino had lost his appeal against the Football League’s ruling to disqualify him from being the club’s owner.

He said: “It was a great performance.

“I think we got it spot on. I think we pressured them to death in the first half.

“Bournemouth are a great side like I said beforehand, but they play one way and I don’t think they’ve got another way of playing.

“They want to play and they want to pass the ball. But we stopped them.

“In the first half I thought we got into them and we got our goal. We could have been further in front.

“In the second half they were always going to come out of the traps but because we worked hard, I thought we earned our luck.

“We’ve just taken points off three of the form sides. We’ve proven on our day that we’re capable.”

Redfearn singled out teenage midfielder Lewis Cook for praise, saying he was the “best player on the pitch by a mile”.

But he was not happy with the penalty awarded against his side for a foul by Giuseppe Bellusci that appeared to be outside the box and was relieved that the late spot kick was missed.

Redfearn, meanwhile, declared the club “alive and kicking” despite the Football League’s decision on owner Cellino.

He added: “It’s business as usual.

“I spoke to Massimo on Monday and obviously he was a little bit flat, you can imagine so.

“But he basically said nothing changes. He said it’s still my football club, I’m still in charge of it, somebody else will sign the cheques, somebody else will be in front of it, but it’s business as usual.

“He wants it to do well. He’s as focused and driven as ever and the good thing is the performance shows this club is alive and kicking.”