Leeds United edge past Preston North End to stay in contention for a playoff place - Npower Championship update
Leeds United beat Preston North End 2-1 in an Npower Championship encounter at the Deepdale on Tuesday evening. Neil Kilkenny and Billy Paynter scored for the visitors, who move to the fifth spot on the league table with this win.
PNE manager, Phil Brown made several changes to his starting line-up that drew 1-1 against Norwich City over the weekend. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chris-c9006 Brown returned from injury to start upfront along with Iain Hume in a 4-4-2 formation.
Leeds made a single change to their starting line-up that beat Doncaster http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Rovers-c40385 5-2 on Sunday. Billy Paynter replaced Luciano Becchio upfront.
The game started in a bright fashion, as both teams looked to make early inroads. The hosts had the first sight on goal, when Brown’s shot from Ian Ashbee’s lovely pass was saved by Kasper Schmeichel down to his left. The hosts dominated the possession in
the opening exchanges and looked dangerous on the attack.
The visiting keeper was a busy man in the opening 15 minutes, as he had to make two top class saves to deny PNE the opening goal. First Keith Treacy forced the Danish keeper to fist away his powerful shot, followed by Eddie Johnson’s lovely volley, which
forced a diving save from the keeper.
Leeds enjoyed a good spell of play and managed to open the scoring on the 29thminute mark. Kilkenny skipped past two defenders before unleashing a powerful shot from the outside of the penalty area and it found the top right corner of the goal
to make it 1-0 for the visitors.
The Peacocks dominated the game after the goal and should have scored twice before the half time whistle, but Paynter’s efforts missed the target by few inches on both occasions.
PNE were denied a clear goal scoring opportunity just after the resumption of second half, when Schmeichel produced another wonderful save at the near post.
Just before the hour mark, Paynter doubled the advantage for the visitors, when his curling shot from outside the box found the top left corner to make it 2-0 for Leeds.
The hosts hit back with a goal five minutes later, when Treacy played Hume, who dragged his shot past the goalkeeper to make it 1-2 for the hosts.
The Lilywhites came close of getting an equalizer on several occasions but Schmeichel was at his best to deny them.
Leeds United marched to their 16th win of the season and kept their dreams of returning to the English Premier League alive.
PNE will play Scunthorpe United in their next match on 15th March, while Leeds United host Ipswich Town on 12th March.
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