Leeds United 2 Millwall FC 0 – victory roll. It’s fortress Elland Road as the players stayed composed against a difficult Millwall FC to score those two vital goals that take us to the top of the Championship for the first time this season – goal difference over Leicester City (with a game in hand). A victory roll from Gnonto followed by a cool feint from James saw Leeds score the two goals we needed. And another clean sheet.
Millwall FC may be fighting relegation but haven’t lost under their new manager Neil Harris, for their last four matches. Leeds are also on a lengthy unbeaten run especially home at Elland Road. Holding on to winning ways Farke announced an unchanged squad.
Ampadu and Rodon have rightly earned a reputation this season as giving Leeds United the meanest defence. Rodon strikes that figure of the last man standing, often with a desperate bloody face as he anticipates exactly where that cross is coming in.
As we enter the business end of the season, Leicester City and Ipswich Town all competing with Leeds for those top automatic places, it is a matter of who blinks first – a win can be the difference.
It was feisty first half as Milwall sought to disrupt Leeds, and were lucky not to have red cards never mind penalties. It was a patient start from Leeds having the possession and looking threatening. Summerville and Gnonto were able to get forward on the wings with Georginio being manhandled in the middle. But Millwall defended deep and Leeds struggled to find sight of goal.
After quarter of an hour Millwall’s tactics were evident as Gnonto, all 5 foot 5 of him was hauled to the ground by a six foot Millwall player, and the players then had to be separated. The referee spent the match struggling to contain the fouls and dishing out yellow cards. On the half hour Bamford took advantage of Millwall loose defending but it came to nothing. However, immediately afterwards, Georginio’s one touch assist to Gnonto saw him find space outside the box, with a bullet of a goal. Gnonto celebrated with a victory roll on the grass.
Whilst Leeds upped the pressure so Millwall upped the fouls. Cooper was lucky not to be carded for an elbow on Georginio. Then Rodon was kneed in the face in the Millwall box with no penalty, no head injury called, no card given; but Rodon has a black eye to show for it.
The second half started with Leonard hacking down Summerville twice and earning a yellow card. Summerville had two free kicks out of them but both went straight into the hands of Sarkic the keeper. Lots of effort from Summerville but still in search of another goal.
Up until the first hour Millwall never looked like scoring but whenthey made a four man substitution they began to pass and give Leeds’ defence problems. It became an open game with Obafemi keeping Meslier busy but Rodon and Ampadu stayed on their feet. Leeds kept looking for a goal with Georginio hitting the post.
Substitute James found that gap in the crowded Millwall defence for Leeds to score that vital second goal. Georginio did his thing running behind the Millwall defence and managed to cut back to James who, cool as a cucumber, waited an agonising second as Sarkic dived and then placed the ball in the net. Leeds are now top of the Championship. In the dying minutes James still found time to hit the post.
Man of the match: Georginio – always in the thick of it, assisting with the James goal.
