Leeds United: Hat-trick hero Roofe won't demand role as first-choice striker

Kemar Roofe took home his second match ball of the season but insisted he would not demand the role of first-choice striker at Leeds United after a 3-1 win over Queens Park Rangers.
Kemar Roofe celebrates his second goal with his team-mates.Kemar Roofe celebrates his second goal with his team-mates.
Kemar Roofe celebrates his second goal with his team-mates.

Roofe produced a clinical hat-trick to hand Leeds a third victory in five games at Loftus Road and follow up his treble in a League Cup defeat of Newport County in August.

The forward struck three times in the final half-hour yesterday as United’s class told towards the end of a scrappy game and his performance made the most of an unintended tactical switch by head coach Thomas Christiansen.

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Roofe moved from the left wing to a role up front after Caleb Ekuban was injured seven minutes before half-time.

Kemar Roofe celebrates his hat-trick with Pawel Cibicki.Kemar Roofe celebrates his hat-trick with Pawel Cibicki.
Kemar Roofe celebrates his hat-trick with Pawel Cibicki.

Leeds had made little impression on QPR’s defence but Roofe picked off Ian Holloway’s side impressively by converting crosses from Gjanni Alioski and Pawel Cibicki and driving home a third goal deep into injury-time.

The former Oxford United player, who scored 26 times for Oxford during the 2015-16 term, has been in and out of United’s side this season and restricted to limited chances in his preferred position by Ekuban and Pierre-Michel Lasogga.

His hat-trick established him as United’s top scorer in the Championship but asked if he would be knocking on Christiansen’s door, Roofe said: “It doesn’t work like that. I just keep my head down and keep working.

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“Hopefully I’ve shown people that that’s my preferred position but obviously wherever I get put I’m going to give 100 per cent.

Pontus Jansson celebrates at full time.Pontus Jansson celebrates at full time.
Pontus Jansson celebrates at full time.

“It’s another hat-trick ball for my mantelpiece at home to look at every day but the main thing is the three points. I was happy with the one goal as long as we got the points.”

Roofe opened the scoring with a 63rd-minute header before converting a cross from substitute Cibicki fives minutes later.

United’s victory, which leaves the club four points behind the Championship’s play-off places, was briefly placed in doubt in stoppage-time after a bad error from goalkeeper Felix Wiedwald allowed QPR’s Pawel Wszolek to score but another Roofe goal on the counter-attack killed the game in the fifth added minute.

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Christiansen refused to criticise Wiedwald, who lost his place United’s line-up earlier in the season after a series of poor performances, and Roofe said: “It’s good entertainment!

Kemar Roofe celebrates his hat-trick with Pawel Cibicki.Kemar Roofe celebrates his hat-trick with Pawel Cibicki.
Kemar Roofe celebrates his hat-trick with Pawel Cibicki.

“It was a mistake and he didn’t mean to do it. We’re in it as a team and we still won the game.”

Roofe admitted his first goal – a hanging header from Alioski’s centre – had been the most satisfying, saying: “Not many people think I can head the ball. I can always do better but I showed I can do it. My goals were from very good build-up. I just had to be in the right place at the right time and execute the finish.

“It was a very good away performance. We had a game plan, we executed it and we got the result.”