4:15pm Sunday 1st November 2009
By Sports Desk
Leeds 4, Yeovil 0
Leeds United’s relentless drive towards promotion shows no sign of stalling.
Yet manager Simon Grayson refuses to celebrate his side’s seven-point gap at the top of League One.
Grayson insists he will only be happy with a seven-point lead when United have two games of the season left and can’t be caught.
Yeovil arrived at Elland Road on the back of six unbeaten games, determined to atone for a 4-0 defeat on their last visit in March.
They suggested they may well achieve their objective by more than matching United until Bradley Johnson’s soft goal just before the interval breathed life into Leeds.
One of Grayson’s many qualities is his use of substitutes to influence a match and significantly Max Gradel and Tresor Kandol scored after leaving the bench.
Gradel’s goal, expertly drilled past keeper Alex McCarthy in the 69th minute, was his first since joining the club on a month’s loan from Leicester and the cry from the fans is for the lively winger to be handed a prolonged stay.
Grayson said: “When his loan spell ends we will obviously speak to Leicester about the situation. He is making an impact every time he comes on, which is what I expect of my substitutes.
“Tresor Kandol and Neil Kilkenny also made an impact when they left the bench. Max is a quick winger who takes people on and he’s not afraid to put in crosses and shots."
Jon Obika tested Leeds keeper Casper Ankergren twice and the Glovers claimed they should have had a penalty when Obika fell to Andrew Hughes’ 36th-minute challenge, but Johnson’s fortuitous goal had the desired effect.
Johnson played a cross from the left towards the near post. The ball deflected off Shaun MacDonald on its way into the danger zone where Jermaine Beckford just failed to get a touch and it finished in the net.
Robert Snodgrass, who had been kept under lock and key by vastly experienced left back Nathan Jones, switched wings when Gradel joined the fray and the Scot became much more effective on the left.
Gradel’s 69th-minute goal relieved the tension and Beckford punished a mistake by Terrel Forbes to grab the third, after seeing two goals ruled out for offside.
Leeds’ fourth came from Kandol’s head following a Snodgrass cross and threatened to burst the net.
Yeovil manager Terry Skiverton confessed: “Leeds are by far the best team we’ve come up against this season. Last season we came to defend and lost 4-0. This time we came to attack and still lost 4-0.”
United now face Oldham in the FA Cup and Grimsby in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy before picking up the league baton once more at Swindon on November 14.
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