Tyler Roberts delighted to make two-goal contribution in Leeds United's big win at Hull City

Tyler Roberts was able to reflect on a job done well after making a two-goal impact off the bench in Leeds United's emphatic 4-0 win in their Yorkshire derby at Hull City
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Roberts was brought on as a 67th minute substitute for Patrick Bamford, who had failed to score for the seventh game in succession, and struck twice to complete United's biggest away win since 2011.

After an edgy first half when the Whites led through an early deflected Luke Ayling shot the White played some stunning football in the second half once they had double their lead through Pablo Hernandez.

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Only the heroics of home keeper George Long prevented a bigger defeat for Hull before Roberts clinically finished the two chances he had to in the last 10 minutes to make sure the Leeds fans came back across the M62 delighted.

Tyler Roberts celebrates scoring for Leeds United at Hull City. Picture: Tony JohnsonTyler Roberts celebrates scoring for Leeds United at Hull City. Picture: Tony Johnson
Tyler Roberts celebrates scoring for Leeds United at Hull City. Picture: Tony Johnson

After making his impact Roberts paid tribute to his teammates for the second half performance.

He said: "Everyone was bang on it again and it showed.

"I was just eager to get on the pitch really and obviously coming on as a number nine I just wanted to get in as many areas as I could to try and get goals and luckily Klichy has found me on both occasions.

"I think we have played football like that all season and scored goals like that.

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"But it's obviously great to be at the end of it and finish it off.

"I don't score many left footed goals but I am confident on my left foot so to take it on and to get it in the back of the net was a great feeling."

On his header for second goal , Roberts added: "To be fair obviously Penno (Matthew Pennington) has played with us before and I thought he was going to get there and get the head on it. Then as I have seen it coming closer I have seen that he wouldn't so I have just kind of took a leap of faith as you would say but just directed it back in the other corner."

The win saw Leeds stay five points clear of third-placed Fulham, who also won, but they have close the gap to one point on leaders West Brom, who lost at home to Wigan Athletic.

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Head coach Marcelo Bielsa handed a first league start to 19-year-old Illan Meslier after losing goalkeeper Kiko Casilla to an eight-match ban after being found guilty of racial abuse, controversially announced on the eve of the game.

It was to prove the ideal league debut for the youngster as he was well protected and was never really tested, only making a few routine saves. His kicking was less accurate than in his own previous first team game in the FA Cup at Arsenal, but there were no alarms with him and it was so far so good in his big opportunity.

Leeds were ahead from the fifth minute when Ayling, who started at right back before going into a back three when Marcelo Bielsa changed tactics midway through the first half, got forward to have time to tee up a shot from 20 yards out.

His effort took a big deflection off Callum Elder and spun into the opposite corner of the net to where Ayling had aimed it to settle any nerves United might have had.

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It was so nearly two almost instantly when the next Whites attack saw Hernandez free in the area to hit a stinging shot that came back off the crossbar.

But the rest of the first half was patchy from United as they played more long balls than usual and struggled to get their usual passing together. Hull only briefly threatened, however, through Kevin Stewart's two shots, one that was deflected and comfortably saved by Meslier, and one that went wide.

The hosts had their first real chance in the opening minute of the second half as Sean McLoughlin was left free to meet a corner only for his header to be easily saved by Meslier. But less than 60 seconds later they were two down and very rarely in it from then on.

Jack Harrison's initial cross went over Bamford, but the ball was picked up by Helder Costa, who played in Hernandez to score with a shot on the turn for the game's key moment.

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Leeds flooded forward now and Costa twisted and turned in the box before seeing his shot beaten away by Long.

The keeper came to Hull's rescue again as he saved Mateusz Klich's clean strike from the edge of the area, but he was beaten by Harrison's shot from the resulting corner, taken short, with the winger's brilliant strike hitting the crossbar.

Costa was inches wide with a low shot from the edge of the area while Meslier had to tip the ball over at the other end after a long throw had not been dealt with and the ball flicked towards their own goal by two tangling Leeds defenders.

Kalvin Phillips' free-kick gave the hosts problems just after the hour mark with Bamford looking to get on the end of the low delivery only to miss the ball and see it directed just wide by Hull player Mallik Wilks, only for a goal kick to be wrongly given.

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That was virtually the last action for Bamford with Roberts brought on for him. Hull also turned to their bench and their sub, Norbert Balogh, came close to pulling a goal back after turning Liam Cooper in the area only to see his angled strike hit the outside of the post.

United were soon back in attack, however, with Harrison denied what would have been another great goal with a good run and shot that brought an equally good save from Long.

Klich shot wide then Costa was the latest to be denied by Long after firing in a right foot volley.

Leeds finally had their third goal when a brilliant passing move started by Harrison from deep in their own half ended with Roberts firing home.

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A fourth goal swiftly followed and it was another beauty as Klich supplied a peach of a cross for Roberts to score with a spectacular flying header.

That thrashing that the Whites had been promising in recent weeks was duly delivered to boost their goal difference as well as their points haul.

Hull manager Grant McCann thought his side were well in the match up to the second goal, but backed Leeds for promotion.

He said: The goal just after half-time knocked the confidence. Second half that early goal has thrown it all up in the air.

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"They are a top team and there is no doubt they will probably go on to get promoted this year."

United head coach Bielsa said: "I wish that from now we could keep this efficiency when we have chances.

"In the first half we didn't defend well. We started the game with one line of four defenders and after we changed with a line of three defenders.

"In the second half what we talked about in the dressing room, and the second goal arriving quickly helped us to improve our performance.

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"I want to tell you that we value the result, but we know that we played against a team who sold their best two players and in addition they had five or six players injured. We have to put our performance in context."

On the performance of rookie goalkeeper Meslier, the coach added: "Illan was calm, confident, he took risks, and was good in the area. He gave us the feeling that he was confident."

Bielsa also commented on the position with Casilla, saying: "The authorities expressed themselves, also Kiko, also the club. We must accept the rules of the competition and accept those decisions."

Match facts

Hull City 0

(Ayling 5, Hernandez 47, Roberts 81, 84)

Championship

Attendance: 16,178

Hull: Long; McKenzie, Pennington, McLoughlin, Elder; Honeyman, Stewart, Lopes (Batty 63); Wilks, Samuelsen (Maddison 77), Magennis (Balogh 63).

Leeds: Meslier; Ayling, White, Cooper, Dallas; Phillips; Costa, Klich, Hernandez (Shackleton 87), Harrison (Alioski 87), Bamford (Roberts 67).

Referee: Keith Stroud.