Joy of Becks sets up historic win over old enemy (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Beckford earns Leeds historic win over old enemy

11:14pm Sunday 3rd January 2010 in Sport By Sports Desk

Manchester Utd 0, Leeds Utd 1

History-makers Leeds United basked in FA Cup glory as Jermaine Beckford’s precious goal made them the first team from outside the top flight to knock Manchester United out of the competition since Bournemouth 27 years ago.

Beckford became the first Leeds player to score a winning goal at Old Trafford since Welsh international Brian Flynn in February 1981, and Leeds’ ecstatic fans must now hope the club can hold on to their 20-goal leading marksman during this month’s transfer window.

Manager Simon Grayson continues to insist Beckford will only leave if a substantial offer is received that can benefit club and player. Equally importantly, Grayson says a suitable replacement would have to be found – no easy task!

Beckford’s value was inevitably boosted by his latest strike and with the former Wealdstone hit-man available on a free transfer at the end of the season if he decides against signing a new contract, can Leeds afford to reject big offers before the present window slams shut?

The reverse argument, of course, is can they afford to lose a player whose goals have played such a huge part in taking them eight points clear in League One?

Manchester United couldn’t complain about their shock defeat. Although Leeds keeper Casper Ankergren had to make some desperate saves, notably from Wayne Rooney, Leeds had opportunities to increase their advantage. Luciano Becchio wasted a headed chance, substitute Robert Snodgrass hit the angle of post and bar and Beckford shot fractionally wide of the far post.

Grayson said: “Every player can feel proud of his performance. We worked ever so hard as a group and earned the right to victory. Brian Flynn reminded me last week that he was the last player to score a winning goal for Leeds at Old Trafford. I told the players before the game that there was an opportunity for someone else to become a hero and Jermaine took his goal in the way we know he can.

“It was a fantastic result and a great day for everyone connected with the club. It is what we had been working so hard to achieve. Hopefully we can go on to be successful in winning promotion, which is our prime objective.

“We rode our luck in our own 18 yard box at times but we had opportunities to increase our lead as well. The players will have Monday off and then come in to prepare for Saturday’s game against Wycombe in the league.”

It took Beckford just 19 minutes to answer those who accuse him of failing to deliver on the big occasion. Skipper Richard Naylor won space for Jonny Howson to deliver a perfect pass from inside his own half to Beckford who neatly controlled the ball with his right foot and clipped it left-footed between keeper Tomasz Kuszczak and defender Wes Brown into the bottom far corner for his 20th goal of the season.

It was a nightmare for Brown who only came into the side because Nemanja Vidic was injured during the warm-up.

Leeds had also suffered a blow with a slight hamstring strain causing Snodgrass to miss out on a place in the starting line-up before making his late entrance from the bench.

Going into the game on the back of a 15-match unbeaten run, Leeds had their confidence lifted even higher by Beckford’s goal and they would have doubled their advantage two minutes later if Becchio had been more accurate with that header, Howson again providing the ammunition.

However, it needed a tremendous goal-line clearance by Jason Crowe to prevent Rooney from netting a 25th minute equaliser. Rooney and Danny Welbeck curled shots just outside the far post, but the interval arrived with Leeds still a goal up, while Brown had to watch his step after being shown a yellow card for a mistimed tackle on Becchio.

The second half got off to an ill-tempered start with Welbeck claiming he should have had a penalty for Howson’s challenge. Then Brown and Howson clashed when Howson complained about Brown’s high tackle on Micky Doyle.

Bookings followed for Darron Gibson and Naylor in separate incidents and with the Reds stepping up a gear, Ankergren made an excellent save from Welbeck with his thigh.

With 58 minutes gone, Sir Alex Ferguson sent on Ryan Giggs and Antonio Valencia in the hope of conjuring up an equaliser but Naylor, Crowe,Andrew Hughes and the head-bandaged Patrick Kisnorbo were superb in Leeds’ defence and Ferguson threw Michael Owen into the fray with 21 minutes left.

Owen mis-kicked when he should have scored two minutes after coming on and Rooney wasted an even better chance created by Dimitar Berbatov.

Leeds replaced Howson with Snodgrass on 77 minutes and first Beckford drove fractionally outside the far post. Then Snodgrass rattled the angle of post and bar with a left-footed free-kick from just outside the penalty box.

Lubo Michalik and Aidan White left the Leeds bench and four minutes into added time, Ankergren pulled off an instinctive save from Rooney, fittingly on the ground where the Dane’s hero and countryman Peter Schmeichel performed with distiction for many years.