Millwall 0, Leeds 2
DAVID PRUTTON and Andy Hughes grabbed late goals to see Leeds home but boss Gary McAllister admitted his side rode their luck.
The Yorkshire club weathered a second-half storm by a Millwall team fired up by their biggest crowd of the season — 13,395 — before taking the lead 20 minutes from time with a fine Prutton volley.
Substitute Hughes then made sure of the points with his first goal for the club nine minutes later.
A relieved McAllister said: "We scored two wonder goals but we have to hold our hands up and say we rode our luck.
"Millwall were excellent today in front of a fantastic crowd. It makes you wonder why they are so near to relegation.
"They put us under severe pressure and created loads of openings."
Although Leeds remain hopeful of having their 15-point penalty overturned, they can be confident of at least a play-off berth.
Spirit
This was their fourth win in five matches and keeps them sixth in the table.
McAllister said: "It's in our hands."
He went on to praise his players for the spirit they have shown during a season where they also lost coach Gus Poyet and manager Dennis Wise prior to McAllister's appointment.
The Scot said: "They've been given such a massive handicap since the start of the season but I've never seen one of them complain.
"It's been a very eventful season for this group of players and I've not seen much praise for them from outside Elland Road. They've just got on with it."
Defeat was hard on Millwall, who again paid the price for a failure to convert their chances.
Defender Tony Craig went close with a header and a volley in the first-half and midfielder Jem Karacan hit the bar just after the break.
Lions boss Kenny Jackett said: "I'm disappointed. We seemed to do everything bar score.
"It's been the story of our season. Goals change games and again we have not converted our chances."
Lashed
The Lions were undone when Prutton lashed a defensive header back into the far corner from 20 yards.
Sub Hughes rubbed salt into the home side's wounds when, after nice interplay with Dougie Freedman, he completed a three-man move by converting Bradley Johnson's cross from the left.
GAMES TO GO—Millwall: Sat v Carlisle (h); May 3 v Swindon (a).
Leeds: Sat v Yeovil (a); May 3 v Gillingham (h).
REGARDING ARTICLE " DON WAR CRY " I AS A LEEDS FAN AM SICK OF HEARING OTHER CLUBS RANTING ABOUT THE 15 POINTS BEING REINSTATED. IF ANY OTHER LEAGUE 1 CLUBS RECORD FOR THIS SEASON MATCHES
GAMES WON 25
GAMES DRAWN 10
GAMES LOST 9
GOALS SCORED 69
CONCEDED 37
THEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO MOAN ABOUT IF NOT I SUGGEST YOU LET THE ABITRATION PANEL DO THEIR JOBS AND AT THE END OF THE DAY REMEMBER LEEDS HAVE BEEN PUNISHED WITH A 25 POINT LOSS WHICH IS UNPRECIDENTED
WITHOUT THE 15 POINTS THEY WOULD BE PROMOTEDON MERIT. THE LEAGUE DOESN,T LIE THEY ARE THE SECOND BEST TEAM IN THE DIVISION
Posted by: dave oates | April 20, 2008 at 09:22 AM | Report this comment
Whilst Leeds have been treated very badly by FL chairman Mawhinney throughout this unpleasant episode we are owed an answer to two questions central to this saga. Mawhinney needs to explain why he voted against Leeds being granted a CVA before instigating a 15 point penalty when they failed to gain the CVA. Mawhinney also needs to explain why he initially tried to deny Leeds an appeal before rigging a sham appeal then delayed initiating a proper appeal until the season was virtually over and the High Court required him to act.
The chairmen of the other clubs should be ashamed of their failure to act impartially, ignoring justice and concentrating on their own clubs best interest and now, like a gang of muggers who thought they had escaped with the loot they’re complaining at the prospect of the court requiring them to return their ill gotten gains.
First Orient then Doncaster and Carlisle have claimed they would raise hell if they suffered as a result of the court giving Leeds back the points stolen by Mawhinney aided and abetted by the chairmen. Now the only club who will be punished by the court returning the points will be the team finishing second in the table rigged by Mawhinney. It could be argued that all the chairmen should be charged for allowing Mawhinney to perpetrate this evil, the effects of which will cause untold problems throughout the game.
Posted by: michael forster | April 20, 2008 at 06:13 PM | Report this comment