Leeds United fans on Brighton victory, outstanding Whites man, result admission and 'shrewd signing' hope

Leeds United gave their home fans one last late huge treat in Sunday’s Elland Road finale against Brighton -but what did the club’s fans think? Here is what our YEP Jury had to say on the weekend’s 1-0 win against highflying Brighton.

NEIL GREWER

Not a great game but one full of pleasing rarities: Leeds kept a clean sheet and won a game where they were second best; DCL scored from outside the “DCL corridor” and Sam Byram made an appearance; there was very little ‘Arsenal-style’ jostling from the numerous corners and the referee was decent.

Most of the game was forgettable with numerous bouts of ‘head tennis’ and defences on top.

Excitement was provided only by a super save from each keeper and the 96th-minute winner from DCL who capitalised on a poor defensive back pass to round the advancing keeper and finish neatly from just inside the area.

A great home finalé to a great season. Defensively, Leeds were sound with Seb Bornauw fitting comfortably into the back-three and Jaka Bijol outstanding, both in the air and on the ground.

Ethan Ampadu put in another captain’s performance with no starting player being below par yet scoring opportunities were limited and ultimately the result fortuitous – for once – but a result born from the season’s philosophy of staying in games and competing to the end.

Man of the match: Jaka Bijol (and Leeds ‘old boy’ Georginio for classy applause to the stadium after the final whistle).

ANDY RHODES

With Brighton once again proving to be one of the Premier League’s best footballing sides and chasing European football, this was always going to be a tough test for Daniel Farke and Leeds United.

In the end, that proved to be the case and it was only in the final minutes of the game that the Whites found their breakthrough.

But this has been a strength of Farke’s side in recent weeks. They have become more resilient, harder to beat and more clinical when the chances have come.

In Dominic Calvert-Lewin, they have found a striker who has rewarded the club’s faith.

Few fans would have backed him to score the goals he has and stay fit throughout the campaign, but he is the sort of shrewd signing Leeds will need to make again in the summer.

There’s no doubting that planning for next season is already under way, and Leeds will be aiming for a more comfortable campaign without looking over their shoulder.

Man of the match: Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

DAVID WATKINS

Another terrific result for Leeds, and against the odds with the injury absences before and during the game.

We rode our luck at times, and the stats for the game were significantly in favour of the Seagulls, although it didn’t feel like that to me during the game.

The first half belonged to the goalkeepers, with Karl Darlow keeping out two swerving efforts by Pascal Gross. Darlow’s handling throughout the game was, not for the first time this season, exemplary.

Leeds’ best effort of the first half came courtesy of the Brighton defence – a wild clearance inside their box cannoning off Lewis Dunk and forcing an instinctive save from Verbruggen.

In the second half, Ethan Ampadu headed a Danny Welbeck shot away from the goal line at one end, while a snap shot by Gomez from 12 yards out missed the target at the other.

The crucial moment came right at the end as one mistake settled the game; van Hecke played a blind back pass to Dunk, and Dom Calvert-Lewin raced in on his blind side to round the keeper and slot into the empty net.

It was prime DCL who has suddenly found his best form again. So, one game to go. Let’s keep this fabulous run going and crack that 50-point mark!

Man of the match: Karl Darlow.

KEITH INGHAM

Leeds ended their home campaign with a late winner against European hopefuls Brighton.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin netted for a win that takes Leeds to 47 points – an amazing tally after such a indifferent season up until the game with Man City.

Brighton were bright but they had Karl Darlow between them and a first-half goal, the keeper saving superbly to deny them. Leeds did have moments but nothing to trouble the Brighton keeper.

The atmosphere was of celebration, Premier League safety having being assured earlier.

Stach had an effort deflected early in the second half as Leeds tried their best to get the all-important first goal. Brighton did have a couple of moments but nothing to really trouble Darlow.

And it looked certain to end scoreless but a wayward back pass was seized on by Calvert-Lewin and he finished superbly.

Unfortunately Anton Stach was carried off before Leeds got their winner; it is hoped that the injury isn’t too serious to keep the midfielder out of the World Cup.

After the game, the players, staff and Daniel Farke took the walk of appreciation and they deserved the applause they received. A good win against a highly-rated team.

Man of the match: Karl Darlow.

MIKE GILL

The Whites faced an uphill struggle going into their final home game as Pascal Struijk joined their long list of casualties.

Thankfully, the Whites’ talismanic captain, the indefatigable Ethan Ampadu, was available after illness and Sebastiaan Bornauw replaced Struijk.

Bornauw, Jaka Bijol and Joe Rodon put in collosal performances as they tackled, blocked and headed away every threat that they were faced with.

Behind them, Karl Darlow dealt with any shots that got through, often in a spectacular fashion. United came closest to scoring in the first half when when Bart Verbruggen had to claw away a deflection off Lewis Dunk. The United goal continued to lead a charmed life in the second half as a strong but wasteful Brighton side continued to batter the Whites.

As the clock ticked away well into added time, it seemed that Leeds fans would have to accept a lacklustre draw but Dominic Calvert-Lewin had other ideas.

The big striker's razor-sharp football brain was matched by his speed and stamina as he latched onto a weak back pass from Jan Paul van Hecke and which left Verbruggen stranded.

DCL slid the ball home and sent Elland Road wild. All's well that ends well.

Man of the match: Karl Darlow.