Yeboah tortures Blackburn

GUY HODGSON

Leeds United 2 Blackburn Rovers 1

Few things have gone right for Blackburn this season and the trend does not look as though it's changing. To the many problems that beset them another was added last night when they were removed from the Coca-Cola Cup.

Stunned by Uefa's decision to punish Graeme Le Saux and David Batty earlier in the day, they were rendered horizontal by first-half goals from Brian Deane and Tony Yeboah. Even the Blackburn reply was a gift, an own goal from Gary Kelly.

In their defence, Blackburn will point to a rally in the second half and in particular a header from Colin Hendry, saved brilliantly by John Lukic, that could have brought them a draw. Nevertheless we are not into December and the champions, barring a miraculous burst of form, can win only the FA Cup this season.

"You can't give any team a two goal start," Ray Harford, the Blackburn manager, said. "I was pleased with the effort and the work-rate. The players tried their best but it wasn't good enough."

For Leeds the future is looking brighter. They are through to the quarter- finals of this competition for the first time in four years and the prospect of Tomas Brolin aligning himself in a strike partnership with Yeboah would scarcely have been made less appetising by his first start since his pounds 4.5m transfer. "Right from the kick-off I said to myself 'him and Yeboah like each other'," Howard Wilkinson, the Leeds manager, said.

"They linked up very well, particularly in that area which is difficult for defences

The Swede, by his own admission, is not fully fit but his flicks and passing appear to be in vigorous good health. "It was about as good a debut as you could expect given the amount of football he has played," Wilkinson purred.

The first goal, in the 22nd minute, came after Yeboah and Brolin had spread alarm among the visitors with long-range shots so it was not a surprise when Leeds took the lead even if the quality of Deane's shot did cause a few chins to drop.

A corner was cleared but the centre-back David Wetherall stayed upfield to head Kelly's cross to the far post where Deane reacted while Hendry dawdled. The ball was not in an ideal position (like the scorer, high and awkward) yet he walloped the volley past Flowers.

That was powerful enough but it was powderpuff stuff compared to what was unleashed by Yeboah nine minutes later.

Just about the last person you would want to surrender the ball to 30 yards out is the Ghanaian so what Mike Newell was doing passing to him was probably something his manager enquired about at the interval. Yeboah advanced a few yards and curled a thunderous left-foot shot into the net.

The visitors had been desperate for a turn in fortune almost from day one this term and they got one five minutes after the interval when they reduced their arrears, albeit with a spectacular own goal.

By definition these things have a touch of the bizarre about them and Kelly did not disappoint, inexplicably diving to head past his own goalkeeper from a range of eight yards. The fact that the ball was not more than six inches off the ground when his head made contact with it merely compounded the surprise.

Luck has not travelled too frequently with Blackburn recently, however, and with that she departed again. The happy days of last May seem a long, long time ago.

Leeds United (4-4-2): Lukic; Kelly, Wetherall, Palmer, Dorigo; Deane, Ford, McAllister, Speed (Bowman, 78); Brolin (Whelan, 78), Yeboah. Substitute not used: Beeney (gk).

Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Flowers; Kenna, Berg, Hendry, Le Saux; Ripley, Sherwood, Batty, McKinlay (Warhurst, 75); Shearer, Newell (Sutton, 59). Substitute not used: Mimms (gk).

Referee: K Cooper (Pontypridd).

Ban for Batty and Le Saux, page 27