Victory gives Leeds Premiership lifeline

Leeds 4 Wolves 1

Leeds finally handed themselves a Premiership lifeline with a vital victory over relegation rivals Wolves who were duly dumped back to the foot of the table.

The pressure coming into the game was all on Leeds, with the suggestion should they suffer another defeat they might as well start packing their bags for the Nationwide League.

But in a must-win encounter for both sides, it was Leeds who emerged from their six-match losing streak with their pride restored and revenge gained after being on the receiving end of a 3-1 loss at Molineux at the end of December.

That defeat, and an Alan Smith own goal in particular, proved a turning point as Leeds had gone into the match on the back of a five-game unbeaten run in which they had taken nine points.

In the intervening period, Leeds have imploded, resulting in this game being their biggest since their Champions League semi-final against Valencia almost three years ago, although in many respects far more important.

On that glorious occasion there was nothing to lose as Leeds had surpassed all the odds in reaching such a stage, however over the past few years the club have been sliding into oblivion both on and off the pitch.

With Leeds on the brink of an ignominious double – relegation and administration – perhaps unsurprisingly another off-field saga had overshadowed the build-up to such a crucial encounter.

Eddie Gray took it upon himself to announce out of the blue that David Batty would not be playing for the Whites again this season, claiming the decision was for “footballing reasons”.

But Leeds, as Gray suggested yesterday, finally appear to have discovered the stomach for the fight.

Watched by their third-best league crowd of the season of 36,867 – although Ugandan tycoon Michael Ezra was not among them after being suggested as a potential saviour – the long-suffering supporters were finally rewarded for their undying loyalty.

From the first whistle Leeds looked up for the fight, and but for a 15-minute spell after Wolves had grabbed an equaliser against the run of play, the victory was deserved.

They took the game to Wolves, who crashed to their ninth defeat on the road where they have only managed three draws, and it appears unlikely they will win away from Molineux at all this season.

Dave Jones’ side needed to prove they have what it takes to stay in the top flight with a win at Elland Road, but they were behind in the 14th minute after Eirik Bakke and Smith had both gone close early on.

For Smith, it was sweet retribution after his own-goal horror at Molineux, with the 23-year-old stealing in front of ‘keeper Paul Jones to tap home his first goal since November 1 after Stephen Caldwell had knocked down a Jermaine Pennant cross which had looped into the air off Mark Kennedy.

But nothing is ever straightforward with Leeds and after controlling the game for the opening 20 minutes they then conceded a goal out of nothing.

Carl Cort chested down an Alex Rae ball into the path of Vio Ganea who drove a right-foot shot through the legs of skipper Dominic Matteo and beyond Paul Robinson from 22 yards.

It was the Romanian’s third goal for the club and second in two games since signing a deal until the end of the season early last month after being released by Bursaspor.

Wolves were gaining in confidence but Leeds did not wilt on this occasion as they have so often done in the past and they eventually regained their composure and the lead shortly before the break.

It was another scrappy goal, but when you are at the bottom it is a case of who cares as a deep Didier Domi free-kick was knocked down by Smith for Matteo to rifle home, with Kennedy helping the ball on its way.

The goal proved galvanising for the second 45 minutes was Leeds’ best for some time and they could easily have scored more than the four they eventually finished up with.

Their third came just after the hour as the Wolves defence went missing as a Smith cross was turned in at the far post by James Milner for his first goal since November 29.

Smith then missed a sitter, Mark Viduka headed against the bar and another over when all alone in the area before the Australian completed the rout in injury time.

A rasping drive under Jones was his sixth of the season, first since December 22 and just reward for his persistence throughout the match.