Leeds United: Whites see off plucky Mariners
Leeds United are just three games away from a Wembley date following victory over plucky League Two relegation strugglers Grimsby Town in their Johnstone's Paint Trophy Northern Section quarter-final clash.
Some 46 places separate both sides in their respective leagues and Leeds – despite a patchy first-half – showed a couple of moments of quality to progress into the last four.
A two-goal blast just before the interval all but settled the outcome, with United going in front when the unfortunate Olly Lancashire diverted loan star Max Gradel's fierce cross into his own net past the helpless Nick Colgan on 40 minutes.
Leeds claimed a two-goal cushion that their first-half performance barely deserved when Neil Kilkenny fired home a precise low shot following Jermaine Beckford's lay-off – the midfielder's first goal of the season – in stoppage time.
Top-scorer Beckford made it 3-0 on 55 minutes, coolly steering the ball home following enterprising work by Bradley Johnson.
Moments later, ex-Whites midfielder Peter Sweeney – on his return to Elland Road - fired home a thundering 25-yard left-footed volley past Casper Ankergren to give the Mariners' a deserved consolation.
Robert Snodgrass and Gradel went close to a fourth for United, next in action on Saturday week in a league fixture at Brighton.
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Weather for Leeds
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 0 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
