Ainsworth adds listless Leeds to Hereford's roll of cup honours
Richard Rae at Elland Road Wednesday November 21, 2007 The Guardian It may be that Leeds United are better off without distractions as they fight to overcome the 15-point deficit imposed on them by the Football League, but they would surely have preferred to go further in the FA Cup than Harrogate Railway. In truth they were fortunate to be simply embarrassed last night. Hereford were so much better that the team from the higher division might have been humiliated. Searching for reasons the Leeds manager, Dennis Wise, thought his team looked drained. "We just didn't perform. We didn't pass it, we made the wrong decisions, everything we did seemed to be wrong," he said. "I can't fault what the players have done this season, though. I've been asking a lot of these lads and maybe it hit us a bit. Fortunately we're a different team in the league than we are in the cups." After the laboured goalless draw at Edgar Street the speed with which the scoring was opened last night came as a surprise, to Leeds at any rate. The United defence looked unprepared when Trevor Benjamin ran at them in the third minute and, although the veteran striker lost control, Lionel Ainsworth reacted smartly to drive the loose ball past the wrong-footed Casper Ankergren. It should have been two when Theo Robinson beat the offside trap but the winger allowed Ankergren to force him wide. Only now did Leeds begin to come forward with something of the urgency and determination that has characterised their rise up Division One. Tresor Kandol's close-range header was blocked by Wayne Brown, Seb Carole hit a fierce drive just over, and Jermaine Beckford, running clear on the left of the area, saw his low cross-shot pushed away. At the back, however, they remained horribly unsure. Matt Heath, under no pressure, gave the ball away to Benjamin, who put Robinson clear, but again the teenager, on loan from Watford, took an extra touch, giving Ankergren the time to save. The Dane injured himself badly enough in the process to require substitution. Although Beckford continued to pose an intermittent threat, after half-time Hereford continued to look the likelier team to score. When the final whistle sounded they were on the attack and Leeds had extended their losing streak in this competition to four years. "They're still a very big club so it's another big cup scalp for us," said Hereford's manager, Graham Turner. _______________________________________________ the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and the list administrators accept no liability for the personal views and opinions of contributors. Leedslist mailing list [email protected] http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist DELETE THE FOOTERS WHEN REPLYING YOU LAZY SODS!!!! DELETE THE FOOTERS WHEN REPLYING YOU LAZY SODS!!!!
