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Match report: Leeds United v Birmingham City
Jonathan Spector grabs hold of Aidy White as he moves forward.
Nikola Zigic scored all four goals at Elland Road as Birmingham cranked up the pressure on their promotion rivals with a sixth straight win.
The beanpole Serbian striker cancelled out Ross McCormack’s 19th-minute opener with a first-half header and struck three times in seven minutes in the second period as Chris Hughton’s rampant Blues ran riot.
Zigic headed home his fourth in the 68th minute and was forced off after landing awkwardly, but the damage was done as Birmingham extended their unbeaten run to 10 matches.
Luciano Becchio and defender Aidan White returned for Leeds, but there was no place in the squad for deadline day loan signing Adam Smith, from Tottenham, while another recent recruit, USA international Robbie Rogers, was not included.
Birmingham, beaten only once since exiting the Europa League in December, made three changes, with goalkeeper Boaz Myhill, midfielder Keith Fahey and Zigic recalled.
Leeds twice threatened to take the lead in only the second minute when Becchio’s goalbound header and then McCormack’s shot were both blocked on the goalline.
Becchio then wasted another golden chance to give Leeds a flying start, sidefooting wide with just keeper Boaz Myhill to beat after being played through by McCormack.
But McCormack gave the Elland Road crowd a huge lift in the 19th minute when skipping too easily past Blues defender Curtis Davies and arrowing a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.
Leeds’ hard work was undone by a soft equaliser in the 31st minute.
Wade Elliott was afforded too much space to cross from the left and Zigic slipped his marker to steer home an easy header.
Becchio was denied a spectacular goal from 30 yards only by Myhill’s acrobatics in the 57th minute.
But just as Leeds began to force the issue Zigic blasted Birmingham into a 61st-minute lead.
Chris Burke raced on to a crossfield pass and turned left-back White inside out before cutting the ball back for Zigic to fire high into the net.
Three minutes later the Serb headed home his hat-trick. Morgaro Gomis crossed from the left after another swift passing move and Zigic was free to regally head home the visitors’ third goal.
Elliott forced Andy Lonergan into a fine save with a header as the Blues smelt blood and from the resulting corner Zigic rose highest to power home his fourth and all but seal another win for Hughton’s rampant side.
Zigic fell awkwardly and left the field to tumultuous applause from the travelling Blues fans.
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Comments
There are 78 comments to this article
Page 1 of 6
white rainbow
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 06:43 PMIn any other city that has a football club, the sacking of its manager would be headline news. The " Latest Whites News " does not have the LATEST whites news, WHY ? Has everyone gone home ?. No wonder Ken Bates gets away with murder, are you a serious newspaper or what !.
steven742
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 02:14 PMGraysons gone whos next!
leedsu51
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 01:42 PM#61 bet your life eh, take a steady rope SiBylle.
steven742
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 01:26 PMthis is bad really bad.
chemtrails
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 12:52 PMDID ANYONE SEE THE YEP POST-POLL TODAY, ASKING FOR OUR OPINION ABOUT THIS TRANSFER WINDOW'S ACTIVITY. AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I THINK IT WAS, I GUESS IT COULD BE MY PC, BUT IT SEEMS TO HAVE DISAPPEARED FROM THE SITE. IT WAS SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES ANYWAY. WELL I,LL LEAVE MY COMMENT FOR THAT ON HERE, AND SAY 'WAS THAT A JOKE FROM THE YEP'
RanchBurger
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 12:44 PM@ 62 In principle I agree Nick but I don't think its that simple for several reasons. First quality players on higher wages go to ambitious clubs either in the PL or who have clear intent to get there quickly, but a quality player would be fairly unique at ER now and even our Captain passed doubts about our intent in leaving. Second, quality players tend to have transfer fees attached to them and our 30% of turnover player budget not only has to cover salaries but any fees too - if SG spends money on player fees he can't afford the wages and vice versa. On R5 before the Arsenal game a pundit talked of having spoken to SG who had expressed frustration that the finances allowed meant instead of going after 2-3 quality players he was forced to go for 4-5 bargain basement ones in the hope that a couple would come good. That works for a while but can lead to players padding out the squad when they prove to be duds. Third we have to have a squad, we cant just have 16 good players and hope nobody gets injured or suspended or their loan recalled and were maybe particularly vulnerable here in that our youth system hasn't produced a huge number of quality players in recent years and those we have had - have gone. Fourth, with the current financial constrictions we're unable to retain proven players so its unlikely we'd be able to attract others, and that leads to the final reason: player turnover. Look at how many first team players leave the club either because they're sold or because we refuse to pay the going rate - all of these have to be replaced and in each case we have to try and do it on the cheap which just decreases the overall quality of the squad. I certainly don't think the manager is sat there with money available but chooses simply to pad out his squad with L1 quality players.
Sick of Kens lies
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 12:36 PMYes Ranchburger, very fair points i agree..
RanchBurger
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 12:22 PM@ 61 & Si, regards putting in performances against the Premiership teams but not Blackpool, Barnsley & Birmingham - look at the sides that played in those games compared to now. The likes of Beckford, schmeichel, Howson, Kilkenny, Johnson, Gradel have all either been sold or the club has been unable to retain them and replaced - for the most part - with inferior players with far lower market values. Apples & oranges.
MarcHarrison
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 11:27 AMTHE ANSWER TO ALL OUR PROBLEMS IS HERE!!!!!!! Simply don't go to any more games! Simples! Veto every single home and away game and don't listen to Yorkshire Radio either, it will kill off Ken Bates for sure and he will be forced to sell up. A massage to the idiotic Leeds fans who still show up and pay £30 to Ken Bates' bank account - are you guys loaded? or simply dumb? you're been taken for a ride, please for the sake of your children, spend that hard earned cash on your families. They deserve it more that the board of Leeds United, by supporting the current regime you are throwing your money away. It's about time LUST bought Leeds, then every supporter can be a share holder buy buying a season ticket, then we can elect a president and form a business model just like Barcelona & Real Madrid. It works for those guys!
loveleedshatebates
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 10:31 AMKopite for primeminister, he really is a legend. The last time I heard such utter ballox was comical Alli in the Iraq war when he said they had repelled allied forces when they were outside the building.
mfree2e
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 10:29 AMOf the Top 13 teams we have only managed to beat 2! Say no more!
Marti
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 10:03 AMThink where we could be with a manager who actually has a clue? If we're 3 points off the play-offs, where might we be with coaching staff who actually develop and learn after three years, who address defensive failings and actually employ a gameplan of some description? Bates is the issue - we all know it - but if a manager cannot deliver results under the model he is working with, he is no longer useful to the club. Grayson comes across as a decent bloke, but he has been found wanting when it really matters; there is no shame in that, as most managers do under Bates because the way he works his so archaic and despotic. But it doesn't disguise the fact that if something stops working, it needs replacing if it can't be fixed.
Sick of Kens lies
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 09:59 AMI'd be happy with Neil Warnock or Billy Davies; both total Bell Ends, but they'll fire the team up and get us winning again, and that's what it's all about.
Sick of Kens lies
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 09:56 AM@55 and 62, both good arguments, but 62 really makes sense. If you're a Handyman, do you want five B and Q homebranded drills or one DeWalt ? I'd go for the DeWalt everytime; it costs loads more, because it's miles better quality. With our fanbase we should be shopping at M and S; not Nettos. Point is; always go for quality over quantity.
mfree2e
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 09:54 AMAfter an encouraging hour suddenly our defensive frailties are found out yet again. It was obvious that Zigic was a threat (you could work that out from the pre-match handshakes), but we did not cut off the supply and the Centre halves were clueless. It was like watching an 18 year old against 11 year olds! I said last week that Grayson was lucky, 3 fortunate results against teams playing with 10 men, and someone would give give us a right hammering, so it proved. We bring in either players who are passed it (eg. Brown, Forsell), players with no experience (Adam Smith, never played above League One!!) We choose the wrong player Charlie Austin vs Billy Paynter (no brainer) and are no longer linked with decent players (Maynard, Billy Sharp etc). The team is crying out for a Centre Half who can dominate and lead. Bates says the funds are there for Grayson to spend, it's either rubbish or Grayson has lost the plot, either way Bates has been around football long enough to know that what is happening on the pitch is not acceptable. Warnock or, dare I say it, Billy Davies should have come in early January and brought in the right sort of players for a promotion push. The Season ticket renewals are out I assume at Top 6 prices, isn't it time that Bates invested in a Top 6 team. Lorimer, you claim to be Leeds through and through. Stop protecting Bates and tell us, the Loyal fans, what the hell is going on!!!!
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