This Yorkshire derby comes with both sides in need of points to avoid slipping down a compact league table into potential trouble. After the explosive earlier season encounter and the appointment of a new Leeds manager, tensions were high as bragging rights were up for grabs as well as the vital 3 points. As the early kick off approaches, a somewhat less than capacity Elland Road anticipates a massive 90 minutes for both the Yorkshire sides.
The games first action comes on the 3rd minute when Jermaine Johnson fouls Paul Green whilst jostling for position and after 4mins Luke Varney has the first shot of the match, his right-footed shot sailing wide. As the away fans create the atmosphere, their players commit 2 further fouls - Giles Coke fouling David Norris and then Reda Johnson fouls highly-rated defender Sam Byram. With neither side able to get a foothold on the ball in the opening exchanges, 14mins in and Varney is penalised for handball whilst in an advanced position. Barely a minute later though and when Miguel Llera fouls Steve Morrison, a Rodolph Austin free-kick flies wide to the relief of the Wednesday back line. The home side are making the most of the ball now and David Prutton does well to block an Adam Drury cross before Austin again lets fly from distance with the same result as his free-kick. Looking to fight back, the Owls earn 2 free-kicks in quick succession. First a foul by Ross McCormack on Jeremy Hélan then Jason Pearce upends Leroy Lita. Sheffield Wednesday keeper and nominee for player of the season, Chris Kirkland claims a 21st minute cross by Morrison before a quick counter attack ends when Paddy Kenny claims a floated R.Johnson cross. When J.Johnson commits 2 fouls in a matter of minutes, his second one results in a yellow card as Stephen Warnock picks himself up. The towering defence of Wednesday stand up well to the crosses into the box and when Drury drops a ball in - Anthony Gardner is underneath it to clear. The 26th minute I a pivotal one as Austin is found in the box but somehow lashes his effort over the crossbar and from the very next attack, Hélan feeds the ball to the in-form J.Johnson and the Jamaican international chips the ball over former Sheffield United keeper' Kenny from the edge of the box to give the Owls a 0-1 lead and send the travelling fans into raptures. With the goal comes an increase of volume, deafening as usual from the Owls away support. Leeds were not to be intimidated though and quickly earn a corner which Kirkland claims in a packed area. On the 30th minute The Whites earn a free-kick when the soon to be out if contract Lewis Buxton brings down Drury. Scotland international McCormack has an effort at goal and only a Llera block on the line keeps the visitors in the lead and as the Spaniard throws his hands in the air to celebrate the block with the fans, a chorus of "Llera, WOAH!" rings down from the stands. The home side keep up the pressure though and after another Buxton foul, Warnock delivers the set-piece onto the head of Pearce who can only head wide under pressure. The 37th minute sees another free-kick awarded to Leeds as David Prutton is judged to have fouled Norris in what looked to be another 50/50 gone against the Owls and Varney's shot from the free-kick is easily save by Kirkland. The referee who seems determined to award every free-kick to the home side penalises Coke minutes later and shows the midfielder a yellow card in the process but fortunately for Wednesday, the set-piece comes to nothing. As half-time approaches the 40th minute sees Lita test Kenny after good work by J.Johnson and the away fans create a new chant to welcome new manager Brian McDermott to the Yorkshire derby: "He looks like an egg, he looks like an egg, Brian McDermott - he looks like an egg!" much to the amusement of away and home fans alike. Finally the referee awards a 50/50 challenge the away way when he penalises Austin for a foul on Coke but Prutton doesn't take advantage of the free-kick. Seconds later though and Warnock fouls Lita near the Leeds box and Wednesday get another chance which Llera fires at goal only for Kenny to be his equal and keep out the effort. A chorus of "Humpty, Humpty Dumpty, Humpty Dumpty, Humpty - Humpty Dumpty" is sung in reply to the home sides usual derogatory chant regarding Dave Jones' court case years ago to which he was not found guilty. As the whistle is about to blow, Gardner clears a Varney cross before Kirkland saves a Warnock free-kick.
HT. The atmosphere generated by the away fans is incredible and I'll be surprised if the Leeds fans don't keep the light-hearted chants about their new manager for themselves. The game itself has been a fast match so far with Leeds creating the more chances and using the ball better only to find themselves a goal down at the break. A cup of tea & sausage sandwich sees me through the break and I'm ready for the second half.
With Giles Coke having been yellow carded and walking a tightrope since, he is replaced by Kieran Lee as the teams take to the field and Leeds replace David Norris with El-Hadji Diouf. The Whites commit the first foul of the second half when Varney upends Buxton deep in the Wednesday half and Kirkland takes the kick. On the 47th minute Leeds are penalised again, Austin fouling Bolton loanee Stuart Holden and when Llera crosses into the box - R.Johnson fouls Pearce to quash any Owls momentum. McCormack has an effort on goal in the 51st minute but former England keeper Kirkland saves well before Morrison breaks through on goal only for a tremendous R.Johnson last gasp tackle to clear any danger. A worrying sight for away fans soon follows when J.Johnson - their inform winger is replaced in the 52nd minute as Steve Howard enters the fray. As J.Johnson approaches the bench, an ice pack is given immediately in what looks like a muscle injury for the pacey game-changer. Diouf finally gets to take the corner and Llera climbs highest to clear away any danger and when the Senegalese striker has a repeat attempt from the next attack, Kirkland claims with ease. The pantomime villain known as Diouf then has a 54th minute strike at goal but finds Holden in the way before R.Johnson fouls him minutes later. That foul sees the fan favourite left-back yellow carded but the set-piece is poor. When Hélan is fouled by Austin in the 58th minute, Holden sees his set-piece delivery claimed by Kenny as the game enters a lull. A break in play moments later allows Aidan White to replace Steve Morrison on the hour mark and 20 seconds later Kirkland is called into action - claiming a McCormack cross. When Howard works a decent ball over to Hélan on the 61st minute, the Manchester City loanee fires a shot that whistles just over to the relief of the home fans. That relief quickly turns into jubilation though when a 62nd McCormack cross is headed home by former Owls loanee Varney via the crossbar and the Owls players protests fall on deaf ears as the linesman says it crossed the line. After scoring their earlier goal, Wednesday sat back and looked to soak up the home pressure, it backfired for Varney's goal and a matter of minutes later - it backfired again. With no Coke to shackle him, McCormack is free to run through midfield and a 68th minute cross by the former Cardiff man is met by the head of Varney again and Leeds have turned the game around to take the lead. Going behind somehow rejuvenates the away side and when Chris Maguire replaces Holden, the attacking options are increased. The 75th minute sees Leeds' goalscorer Varney penalised for a foul on Llera but Buxton's set-piece breaks down. As Wednesday step up their efforts and begin to pressure the home side more, Byram concedes a free-kick for fouling Lita and the young defender is soon indebted to his keeper for claiming the dangerous ball in by Maguire. 78mins and Buxton gets to the byline before delivering a whipped cross only for the leaping Howard to be out-jumped by a Leeds defender. The resulting corner from Maguire is scrambled away before being worked back in which sees Howard rifle a shot against the woodwork. When Maguire sends a cross in it is knocked out for a corner which Llera delivers accurately and following a goalmouth scramble with bodies everywhere, McDermott's men hack the ball off the line to safety. Wednesday are piling on the pressure now and Leeds look shaky but Howard's shot is saved well by Kenny before the Irish keeper is left rooted by a Lita clever shot than creeps agonisingly wide. When Leeds surrender possession again, Buxton crosses for Howard again only for Kenny to be the equal yet again as he strives to keep his team in the lead. The 84th minute sees Michael Tonge replace Warnock and minutes later the former Sheffield United man sees his shot at goal blocked by Gardner. The short corner by Diouf breaks down when Austin fouls R.Johnson in a bid to slow down the game and see out the final few minutes. In the 92nd minute, the much improved Maguire works his own space and fires a shot at goal which Kenny can safely watch wide and after 94mins - the referee brings this derby game to an end.
FT. A close fought encounter sees Leeds snatch the spoils in a fairly even match and a valuable 3 points gets Brian McDermott's reign underway. Not everybody's choice to succeed Neil Warnock but United are in safe hands with the former Reading manager at the helm. As for Wednesday, a climb up to 9th in the table at half-time shows what could have been if they didn't sit back and look to absorb the Leeds pressure. With J.Johnson injured and Michail Antonio out for the season, the threat they bring to the table will be sorely missed if JJ's injury is a lengthy one. That's the Owls 5th defeat in 21 games - not a bad stat to end with.
Attendance: 23,936 (2,564 Owls)
Owls Man of the Match: Kirkland (vital saves yet again, my vote for Owls Player of the Season)
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