Smith saves Leeds in six-point thriller

Leeds 3 Leicester 2

Alan Smith may have stated he will leave this summer if Leeds are relegated, but he is determined such a fate does not occur after scoring a late winner in a remarkable Elland Road thriller.

With 12 minutes remaining, Leeds were cruising at 2-0 and on course to avenge their 4-0 hammering at the Walkers Stadium in September, a crushing defeat which has proved the catalyst for their relegation-haunted season.

But in the space of 90 seconds Leicester were level courtesy of goals from Paul Dickov and a 30-yard screamer from Muzzy Izzet, with Leeds self-destructing and looking the more likely to suffer an unlikely defeat.

With five minutes remaining, though, Smith set the pulses racing with a thunderous 10-yard strike, and despite Leeds holding on for a win which leaves them two points adrift of safety, there was still a sting in the tail.

In the dying stages, Mark Viduka was sent off for two bookable offences – his first in the 83rd minute for a foul on Matt Heath and his second in the 90th for kicking the ball away – and he now misses another relegation showdown against Portsmouth on April 25.

It was a sad end to a pulsating clash which had started in riveting fashion with Leeds 2-0 up inside 13 minutes.

Michael Duberry, back after a two-month absence with a rib injury, grabbed the opener in the 11th minute for his third goal in his last nine appearances following a previous three and a half year drought with a downward, six-yard header past Ian Walker.

There were claims for offside which were subsequently waved away, as they were again two minutes later when Viduka scored his fifth goal in his last seven matches, and his fifth in his seven meetings with the Foxes.

Didier Domi was the supplier from the right wing, his hanging ball met by a knock down from Jermaine Pennant to Smith who managed to squeeze a pass through to his strike partner at the second time of asking.

Viduka’s overhead kick from 10 yards was exquisite as Walker was given no chance, with the Australia international now in the kind of form which saw him score 11 goals in Leeds’ final eight games of last season, a run which helped keep United in the Barclaycard Premiership.

With Leeds in the ascendancy, Smith volleyed wide soon after, but Leicester proved they were not about to roll over and hand the Whites the three points on a platter.

In the space of 10 minutes, Marcus Bent fired in a long-range drive which forced Paul Robinson into a smart save low down to his left, prior to the England international then plucking a Jamie Scowcroft header out of the air after a far-post cross from Steve Guppy.

When veteran striker Les Ferdinand saw his volley to a Nikos Dabizas cross land on the roof of the net just before the half hour, it signalled the end of City’s purple-patch, and they could have been left red faced soon after.

Viduka spurned the chance of adding a second and the Whites’ third in the 33rd minute, for after Riccardo Scimeca had slipped in trying to cut out a Pennant cross, he opted for a 20-yard first-time drive which he lashed wide, rather than taking the ball on.

But the momentum was with Leeds and after Robinson had pushed away a rare attempt at goal from Steffen Freund four minutes after the break, only a stunning save from Walker prevented Leeds from wrapping up the victory moments later.

Walker was at full stretch in keeping out a stabbed Smith shot after Pennant had laid the ball on a plate for the 23-year-old.

Although Leeds were playing with confidence, an occasional air of complacency was also prevalent, to a dangerous degree as it appeared the players felt they were back in their Champions League days rather than scrapping for their lives.

Leicester, though, spurned the half chances which came their way and on another night Leeds could easily have found themselves punished on those occasions.

Instead it was Walker again at his defiant best, firstly in the 66th minute with another sprawling fingertip stop to deny Smith from 20 yards, and then five minutes later, pushing over the bar a goalbound header from the striker.

But then Leeds imploded as first Dickov, a 38th-minute sub for Guppy, was given room to beat Robinson, who was left clutching at thin air when Izzet’s cracker flashed past him soon after.

But Leeds moved level on points with the Foxes courtesy of their own grandstand finale, only for the gloss to be taken off the win with Viduka’s dismissal.