Fernandes grabs Saints point at Leeds - Report

Leeds 1 Southampton 1

Fabrice Fernandes denied Leeds a priceless Elland Road victory as Terry Venables’ side suffered another dose of the late home jitters.

Harry Kewell’s ninth goal of the season in the 73rd minute looked to have proved a match-winner but games with United these days are never over until the fat lady is singing.

For the sixth time this season, Leeds conceded a goal in the final two minutes as a seemingly innocuous Fernandes right-wing free-kick from 35 yards drifted into the area, bouncing once and beyond a clearly unaware Paul Robinson.

After a run of four successive defeats at this ground without scoring a goal, the Saints finally broke both miserable runs, albeit ensuring Leeds and Venables a less-than-happy Christmas.

The point, though, was Leeds’ first at home in the Premiership since September 14, ending their own wretched record of five straight defeats and six in the last seven matches.

Despite Venables making just one enforced change to the team which celebrated what should have been a morale-boosting victory against Bolton on Monday, there was little evidence of that during a tepid first half for the home side.

Alan Smith returned from a one-match suspension to take over from Eirik Bakke in an unaccustomed role at the heart of the midfield as the Norwegian was serving his own one-game ban.

Smith added his usual tigerish bite to the role but Leeds were frustratingly off-colour again despite the unwavering support of the home faithful who, in recent weeks have turned their attentions to getting behind the team rather than booing Venables.

But despite such enthusiasm, it had little to no effect on the players who appear to be suffering from some sort of stage fright every time they take to the Elland Road pitch.

Instead, the majority of the entertainment in the opening 45 minutes came from the visitors, and in particular Frenchman Fernandes who provided most of the attacking inspiration.

After Robbie Fowler and Ian Harte curled and dragged respective shots wide of Antti Niemi’s right-hand post, Southampton should have taken a 13th-minute lead.

Matt Oakley, along with Niemi the two changes made to the team which drew 1-1 with Newcastle last weekend, and Fernandes worked a delightful short corner.

Oakley took the ball on and eased past Kewell before floating in cross for Brett Ormerod in the six-yard box, but despite a free header, it just cleared the crossbar.

Leeds responded with their best effort of the half in the 18th minute as a Robinson goal-kick was nodded down into the path of Smith by Fowler and, after a chest trap, his eventual 22-yard half-volley cleared Niemi, only to land on top of the net.

Southampton then countered five minutes later with a Fernandes drive from 22 yards which Robinson spilled and although the ball ended up in the back of the net after a scramble, Ormerod had long been adjudged offside when the Frenchman fired in his shot.

The woodwork saved Leeds in the 36th minute as Fernandes and Paul Telfer worked the overlap down the right wing, allowing the latter to deliver a near-post cross which was struck first-time by Ormerod, only for the 26-year-old to be denied by the crossbar.

Fernandes then slipped in a low ball into the path of James Beattie five minutes from the break, but the Premiership’s leading scorer failed to mark the occasion of his 100th league start for the Saints as his first-time right-foot shot was driven straight at a diving Robinson.

It took the 53rd minute arrival of Mark Viduka, the Australia international missing the last five games through injury, to add fire to Leeds’ attack, with an ineffective Fowler making way.

Kewell was the main beneficiary of Viduka’s performance as the latter’s strength in holding off defenders and holding up the ball brought his team-mates into focus.

Kewell initially struck a crisp 15-yard left-foot drive which forced Niemi into his first save of the match, before Smith then glanced a Harte in-swinging corner narrowly over.

Only the intervention of a seemingly unaware Oakley on the line prevented Kewell from breaking the deadlock as his shot on the turn bounced away off the base of the post.

After a now on-song Kewell forced Niemi into a clutch save low to his left from a dipping 25-yard shot, Leeds then received a double alarm call.

Michael Svensson attacked a curling Fernandes free-kick from midway inside the Leeds half, with his header only just wide of Robinson’s left-hand post, before Beattie then failed to make it 12 goals

in his last nine league games due to Robinson’s reaction save from a downward header.

Leeds then countered again, with Kewell cracking in a left-foot shot which Niemi superbly pushed away for a corner in the 73rd minute.

But from Harte’s delivery, Leeds and Kewell then gained their just rewards as they grabbed the lead, scoring their 450th Premier League goal.

After Jonathan Woodgate’s header hit the post, the rebound fell to Kewell for an eight-yard left-foot drive through a crowd of players and his ninth goal of the season.

But Leeds were then hit by a sucker, freak punch in the closing moments, and could have even lost a sixth straight home game but for Robinson redeeming himself in injury time with a full-stretch save in tipping away a raking Fernandes drive.