Sponsored by
Old Headingley edged out by narrowest of margins
One point from three encounters would seem to tell its own tale about how Old Headingley have performed in their last few fixtures.
Old Centralians 0–0 Old Headingley
Nostell Miners Welfare 1–0 Old Headingley
Pontefract 2–1 Old Headingley
However, each game could quite easily have ended with a Headingley side constantly weakened by injury and suspension coming away with a deserved and much needed three points to ease their path to the end of what has been an exhausting campaign.
* Click here to sign up to free news and sport email alerts from Headingley Today.
Playing a midweek game away at local rivals Old Centralians, Headingley found their preferred passing style hampered somewhat by a very firm playing surface. With both defences standing up well to a constant stream of direct attacks, a stalemate ensued in a game which was not an eye-catching spectacle for onlookers.
* Click here for latest news in Headingley, West Park and Lawnswood.
With long-term absentees Richard Dyson, Mike McVay and Andy Hallam returning to the squad, the visitors were certainly strengthened in comparison to previous weeks, although for all the neat passing moves orchestrated by Paul Harrington and Pete Gillick in the opening half, clear cut chances were few and far between.
After the interval it was the turn of 'keeper Leigh Fearn and his defenders to see a bit more of the ball as Centralians moved into the ascendancy. However, several risky attempts at an offside trap aside, the visitors' backline was not overly threatened too often. The nearest either side came to a goal came in the dying moments, when Dave Gillespie and Sean Tyers both failed to find the net from close range, both players' blushes only marginally spared by the referee's whistle as he spotted a foul from the preceding free kick.
Three days later and again Headingley's efforts to play passing football were sabotaged by a combination of a bone dry pitch and a workmanlike opposition away at Nostell. Headingley went behind after twenty five minutes when a loose pass in the centre circle gave a free run on goal to Nostell's striker, his progress unceremoniously halted by a clumsy challenge from Andy Rooke. The resultant free kick was struck soundly enough, but would not have found its way past Leigh Fearn had it not been for a huge deflection off his defensive wall.
Having already hit the frame of the goal in the opening minute through a Lenny Miller header, Headingley were not without their opportunities in the second period. Throwing players forward and increasingly leaving themselves vulnerable to a counter attack, the change of approach paid dividends in the closing stages as home legs tired and both the marauding Andy Rooke and substitute Dave Gillespie had golden opportunities from point blank range which went begging. The best opportunity of all came with fifteen minutes to go a trip on Paul Harrington in the penalty area gave Paul Kempton the chance to level matters, but as Nostell's 'keeper dived low to his left to keep out the spot kick he effectively ensured that victory would belong to the hosts.
Old Headingley were again forced to shuffle their pack away at high-flying Pontefract, much to the frustration of boss Hamilton who since Christmas has rarely been able to select a settled squad. The loss of midfielders Gillick and Kempton was offset by the returns of Dyson and Adrian Shields, and facing a team who had narrowly edged them in controversial fashion back in January, the visitors got their tactics spot on in the opening forty five minutes, cleverly marshalling their opponents' pacy threat into wide areas and denying space and time to their ball-playing midfielders.
Visibly growing in confidence with each passing minute and with full debutant Rich Harwood looking increasingly comfortable in midfield, Old Headingley took the lead shortly after the interval when a great run and shot from wing back Gavin Johnstone was only parried by Pontefract's goalkeeper and Lenny Miller was on hand to ram the ball home from two yards out. Buoyed by this, Headingley enjoyed their best spell of the game and crafted further opportunities for Miller and Dyson, with Harwood, Shields and Sean Tyers holding their own in midfield.
Switching their formation to play three strikers up front, Pontefract's direct style and powerful strikers continued to cause Headingley problems and they equalised when a shot from the edge of the box reared up on the dry pitch in front of Leigh Fearn and left a loose ball which was easily put away by a loitering striker.
With the injured Mark Davies putting in a heroic shift in an improvised back line, Headingley defended manfully but went behind with twenty minutes to go when a cross into the box was not dealt with convincingly and a low shot found its way into the net at the back post. Both sides had good opportunities in the final quarter of the game, with Headingley's last chance being fashioned for one of their outstanding performers on the day, Gavin Johnstone. Neat interplay on the edge of the box ended with a low right footed drive which narrowly missed the far post with the 'keeper well beaten.
With two games of their season now to go, Headingley must rouse themselves and turn around their recent decline. Whether it is the result of a moment of quality or a huge slice of fortune, Hamilton's mean need a win in their next outing if they are to stand any chance of saving a season which promised much from becoming a disappointing damp squib.
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
