Yeovil - not the worst team to visit - they did at least have a go for the first 20 minutes - but surely one of the most lightweight. Were we playing the U-16s last night. They were mainly slight and shorter than their Leeds counterparts in every position - even Kilkenny won a couple of headers last night.
This was won at a canter - we could have had twice the final total - Beckford had another disallowed for offside; could have had a couple more; was greedy going for goal when a slipped back pass would have left Howson in on goal 6 yards out; ...and then, of course, there was Becchio's penalty. The same starting XI as Saturday (I think)- the midfield of Howson, Delph, Kilkenny and Snodgrass finding themselves in acres to pass the ball to their little hearts' content. Once the first 20-5 minutes were up, our back four scarcely had anything to do except field the odd long punt. Beckford's first on 26 minutes - owed much to Parker - an attack petered out around the edge of the Yeovil box, it looked as if a half-hearted clearance went sort of across the pitch 25 yards out, it was intercepted by Parker stepping forward, he nudged the ball over the top, to Beckford who had spun the defender and was first to the bouncing ball, tucking it under the advancing keeper. Cute goal. His disallowed effort came a couple of minutes later - looked offside and to be fair even Beckford didn't protest too much. He then had a short range header saved at point blank...after a game of head tennis in the box. Coming up on half time and Kilkenny who had had a steady game up to that point, picked the ball up at left midfield, 35 yards from goal, was allowed to move 5 or 10 yards forward before unleashing a bullet that looked to move loads in the air. It flew into the top corner with the keeper not moving. 2-0 half-time lovely. One of the first pieces of action of this half was fantastic interplay between Beckford and Snodgrass - Becks gets the ball on half way, back to goal, spins the ball out 30 yards, first time, into the path of a charging Snodgrass, who takes it past his man and slides a return pass along the ground, curling behind the back four of Yeovil, to where Beckford is haring into the box, Becks takes a touch, just enough for their number 7 who makes one of the season's great sliding challenges as Beckford is going at pace in the box. It was thunderous and perfectly timed. A good sliding tackle is truly a thing of beauty. Even Beckford didn't protest, he just got up and got on with it. 5 minutes after the restart and there's some nice pass and move in midfield, the ball comes to Kilkenny, he slips it along the ground into the box (between two defenders) where Beckford controls it and picks his spot in the bottom far corner. 3-0 and we've not broken sweat. Another 10 minutes or so and Beckford has his hat-trick. Another ball through on the ground, (to almost the same spot as he scored the 3rd from) this time from Howson, the keeper advances, Beckford shapes to finish as before, but this time lifts it up and over the jumping keeper - he just got his finger tips to it, but couldn't make the save. I think that that is Beckford's first league hat-trick. >From then on little happened, apart from an unseemly tussle between Becchio >and Snodgrass for who was going to take the penalty kick. Becchio won and >proceeded to put it 6 foot over the cross bar. Grayson immediately subbed him >for Grella. Now I though penalty takers were nominated pre-game within the >dressing room - I thought they were all clear about it. Why did Naylor not >come and sort it out either...Anyway it was sad, because Becchio even resorted >to getting the Kop to chant his name while this wrestling with the ball was >going on. ANKERGREN - v little to do - did it well enough DOUGLAS - steady, but caught wrong side or flat footed once or twice PARKER - as Douglas, good assists going forward - still not really comfortable - is better with Delph providing cover in front of him MARQUES/NAYLOR - solid, untroubled, relatively easy night SNODGRASS - one of our best players - inventive, willing, involved KILKENNY - the best of the midfield - everything went through him, steady controlled presence - cracking strike HOWSON - hardly noticed him, went quietly about the business of winning the ball and moving it on DELPH - notionally on the left but seems to wander wherever the whim takes him - quality without being overly flamboyant BECCHIO - worked hard, some nice touches - should never be allowed to take another penalty again - no-one round us believed he would score it BECKFORD - 3 goals - potential for more - his speed and movement terrified Yeovil last night - MOTM by a country mile subs Grella - came on looked lively - needs the ball moved on the floor at pace, to play to his strengths by the looks of him Johnson - woefully short of anything really ----------------- crowd - 18, 800 - small and quiet ------------------ Q - why when Becchio gets flattened, fouled from behind, or chopped down - and he rolls about, do the crowd chant his name...but when Beckford does it people boo him? How come the crowd were chanting "Luciano Becchio" after his dismal penalty...? Are we now the masters of irony? _______________________________________________ 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 Sorry Macca - it's the curse of Bates old lad
