Leeds United 2 Bolton Wanderers 1: Big match analysis

Mirco Antenucci salutes the Elland Road crowd. PIC: Bruce Rollinson

check out at a glance post-match analysis from Leeds United's clash with Bolton Wanderers at Elland Road

GOO DAY FOR

Steve Evans: The goals came from Mirco Antenucci and he was due a performance like that but all the focus centred on Leeds United’s head coach after a pretty desperate week. It was fair to wonder if Evans might fall on his sword had defeat come on Saturday but a 2-1 victory restored some badly-needed calm, on the pitch at least. Given results elsewhere, the points were extremely precious.

BAD DAY FOR

Bolton Wanderers: Bottom of the table with 25 points, they are surely down now. They were probably down before Saturday but wins for Charlton, Rotherham and MK Dons compounded a very unconvincing display at Elland Road. Bolton look like a group of individuals, rather than a team, and they will be playing in League One next season – assuming that off-field issues don’t threaten more dire consequences.

KEY MOMENT

Liam Cooper’s goalline clearance just before the break: The equaliser which the defender averted would have been extremely lame – a Liam Feeney free-kick bundled towards goal amid suspicions of a foul on Marco Silvestri – and it would have changed the tone of the afternoon completely. Leeds held onto their advantage and Antenucci did his thing with a classy strike in the second half, seeing United home.

WHAT THEY SAID

Steve Evans: “I’m really proud of my players and staff. It’s been a tough week. We’ve had to come here with the most amount of pressure I’ve ever experienced at Elland Road in the lead-up to a game but we’ve dealt with it.”

Neil Lennon: “It’s been a problem for us all season – we’ve lacked quality in the final third. That was apparent again. For all the good approach play, we weren’t clinical at times.”