Sponsored by
Match report: Featherstone Colliery v Old Headingley
A goal in each half from striker Andrew Hallam gave Old Headingley their second consecutive victory in a match which owed it's character as much to the weather and the sloping pitch as it did to the endeavours of the players on show.
Featherstone Colliery 0
Old Headingley 2
* Click here to sign up to free news and sport email alerts from Headingley Today.
Playing with the wind and the slope in their favour in the first half, Headingley established a one goal advantage at the break and then killed off the contest with fifteen minutes to go after defending their lead doggedly against a resilient Featherstone team.
Manager Richie Hamilton made one change to the team which had won convincingly the previous week and brought in David Gillespie to partner Hallam in attack.
* Click here for latest news in Headingley, West Park and Lawnswood.
Wearing their change strip of all red, Headingley captain Andy Williams won the coin toss and chose to try and maximise the conditions from the kick off.
An early free kick from Pete Gillick was confidently handled by the Featherstone 'keeper, although with the limiting dimensions of the playing area, gusting wind and bobbling surface hampering both sides' efforts to play the ball on the ground, the first half offered precious little for the football purists.
Headingley attempted to drive forward through Harrington, Tyers and Gillick in midfield but too often found the ball running away down the slope to safety.
At the other end, Featherstone's number nine was getting in between the away side's defence and the visitors were fortunate that a series of set pieces given away in dangerous positions did not end up costing them a goal.
When Headingley did finally make the breakthrough, it owed much to the decisive run of Sean Tyers who did well to keep a bouncing ball under control and whose break was only halted by the advancing goalkeeper, with the resultant loose ball coolly chipped into the empty goal from eighteen yards by Hallam's left foot.
With an angry team talk ringing in their ears, Headingley began the second half in no doubt as to the test they were about to face. To their credit, playing against the hill and the wind, the team at times fashioned some better openings than they had managed in the opening spell, winning numerous corners from which a second goal could and should have come.
At the other end, safe handling from Leigh Fearn from a series of corners and set pieces combined with resolute defending inspired by the outstanding Williams kept Featherstone at bay.
The introduction of Ol Seed for Gillespie gave Headingley fresh impetus in attack, and as they once again began to take the ascendancy Headingley secured their victory when a corner was not fully cleared and Hallam was felled in the box by a naive challenge. The same player dusted himself down to confidently slot home the spot kick and give Headingley breathing space.
There was still time for substitute Adey Shields to see a fine chipped effort drop narrowly over, Seed to go close with an sweet half volley on the stretch, and even Williams allowed himself the luxury of a rare poor header back to Fearn which could have been punished.
Ultimately however, two goals and a clean sheet represented a good effort from Headingley in what were far from ideal conditions and left manager Hamilton singing the praises of his striking saviour.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Simon Grayson sacked: Whites keeping managerial options open LATEST
- January 2012 Premier League and Championship transfer round up
- Leeds United: We wouldn’t have got Alan Smith for £2,500 a week! - Grayson UPDATED
- Web poll: Who should be Leeds United’s next manager? VOTE HERE
- Leeds United: Axed Simon Grayson leaves with tears and a salute for fans INTERVIEW
- Simon Grayson sacked: Whites keeping managerial options open LATEST
- Leeds United: A fresh start is just what we need - Lorimer
- Web poll: Who should be Leeds United’s next manager? VOTE HERE
- Are you satisfied with Leeds United’s dealings in the January transfer window? VOTE HERE
- Match report: Leeds United v Birmingham City
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
