Leeds came into today’s game and trip down the M62 to the newly rebranded KCom Stadium in decent form with three consecutive wins and aiming to make it four on the trot for the first time in seven years.
Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, but they did come away with a very creditable draw against a Hull side solidly in the play-off places.
Leeds were put under the cosh in yesterday’s game but they were facing, to all intents and purposes, a Premier League team playing at the upper end of the Championship. Out-passed, out-shot and, to be fair, at times out-played, Leeds United didn’t buckle and actually had passages of play where they took the game to a worried-looking Tigers side.
Leeds actually took the lead; a Chris Wood layoff turned into what’s becoming a regular Charlie Taylor surge down the left and his cross into the box found the now-unmarked Wood who side-footed past a planted McGregor in the Hull goal. Leeds rode their luck after the 15th minute opener, but that luck ran out in a calmitous spell of defending as 45 minutes ticked past with Hull equalising through Abel Hernández (45+1) and taking the lead through Tom Huddlestone (45+2).
Steve Evans made an immediate change as Jordan Botaka, Leeds’ DR Congo winger, came out to play the entirety of the second half, replacing Lee Irwin for what would be his longest time of play in the first team for a long time. Leeds began to come back into the game more in the second half, but Hull still continued to press but it was Leeds who had a chance to equalise from the spot in the 58th minute after the impressive Charlie Taylor was brought down in the box after a surging run. Wood stepped up, struck the ball to the keeper’s left but McGregor guessed right, saving the penalty kick and swallowing up the loose ball.
The thing about this Leeds United team, as opposed to the one at the start of the season, is that it has a certain resolve an self-belief. They refused to buckle and it was good play that brought about the equaliser and 88th minute heartbreaker for Hull City. The impressive Jordan Botaka took the ball towards the Hull penalty area, a couple of shimmies and feints standing up three defenders before his layoff found Stuart Dallas whose accurate shot into the bottom left-hand corner notched his 5th goal of the campaign and rescued a point for the Whites.
Goal highlights
featured image credit: Heidi Haigh – Follow Me and Leeds United (Facebook)
