OMINANT UNITED HELD AT HOME
30 Oct 2011
Cardiff take a point at Elland Road...

LEEDS 1 (Snodgrass 70), CARDIFF CITY (Mason 17)

United: Rachubka, Connolly, Lees (Kisnorbo 32), O'Dea, White, Snodgrass, Howson, Clayton, Pugh (Sam 78), McCormack, Keogh (Becchio 56). Subs: Cairns, Vayrynen.

Cardiff: Marshall, Taylor, Turner, McNaughton , Hudson, Whittingham, Conway (Kiss 62), Cowie, Gunnarsson, McPhail, Mason (Miller 70). Subs: Heaton, Blake Miller, Earnshaw,

Referee: P Dowd

Booked: Clayton (Leeds), Hudson, Cowie (Cardiff)

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Matchday Live

United manager Simon Grayson named an unchanged side for the visit of a Cardiff City team who Leeds had not beaten since 1984.

Leeds had lost just one in seven going into the game and much of the pre-match talk had been about ending the dismal run against Cardiff, but it was United goalkeeper Paul Rachubka who was called upon to make the first save of the game when he got down well to deny Aron Gunnarsson.
Joe Mason scores

But Andy Keogh and Ross McCormack, both ex Cardiff men, combined on eight minutes and Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall had to smother the ball at the feet of the latter. Marshall also pulled off a good save to deny Keogh with a header from a corner kick.

But it was Cardiff who stole the lead in the 17th minute, Joe Mason getting the better of Darren O'Dea after a little nudge in the back, and the striker was able to find the space to slot the ball home.

United threatened on 23 minutes when Masrhall had to get down well to turn a Snodgrass header around the post after Keogh nodded on an Aidy White cross. As Cardiff struggled to clear their lines from the resultant corner, two blocks proved decisive in denying Leeds.

Shortly after the half-hour, Grayson made his first change of the afternoon with O'Dea limping out of the action to be replaced by Paddy Kisnorbo.

United created the next opportunity when Paul Connolly whipped in a great ball from the right, but Keogh and McCormack both narrowly failed to get a decisive touch on the delivery.

Moments before half-time, McCormack was denied by another good block after getting on the end of another decent ball in from the right. Mark Hudson also got in the way of a Jonny Howson shot as United looked far more the inventive of the two sides.

Leeds started the second half on the offensive and Marshall had to be alert to collect two good balls in. The keeper also made a good save to deny McCormack after good work by Danny Pugh.

Leeds were again the stronger and more inventive, and Marshall was called upon again to gewt his fingertips to an Adam Clayton strike as United look to force an equaliser.

Clayton went close again moments later and had a shot deflected wide. The resultant corner saw Marshall pull off another stunningh save low to his left when Howson seemed certain to score with a header from a Snodgrass corner.

The deserved equaliser finally came with 17 minutes left on the clock. Tom Lees got up well to head on a free-kick and Snodgrass nipped in to convert from close range.

With Leeds having dominated, Grayson threw on Lloyd Sam for the final 12 minutes as he looked to force the result his side deserved on the balance of play.

McCormack was still causing problems, but Hudson was a rock at the back for the visitors and he forced the striker wide on one occasion as he looked to get in a shot on goal.

At the other end, Lees made a timely block with his head when Cardiff swung a ball into the box, and from the corner Gunnarsson headed over under pressure from Aidy White.

Three extra minutes were added, and United looked to apply one last spell of pressure, but there was no way through and Leeds had to be content with the 1-1 draw.