Leeds United got back to winning ways with a 1-0 win over Gareth Ainsworth’s QPR side at Elland Road.
Leeds controlled large portions of the game but were unable to fashion out many more clear cut chances to extend their lead. Luckily for the Whites they were able to dominate possession and never looked in any sort of danger when it came to conceding an equaliser in what was a scrappier affair in the second half.
Leeds boss Daniel Farke described the game as “proper pint” football as not every win can be in the same “champagne” football fashion.
Leeds were able to deliver the “brutal” finishing Farke asked for in his pre-match press conference when they took the lead within the first ten minutes. Georginio Rutter drifted inside from the left wing before finding Crysencio Summerville who was able to calmy slot the ball past Asmir Begovic to give Leeds the advantage.
Jake Clarke-Salter was the reason Leeds were unable to double their lead when he blocked Summerville’s strike from close range after the Dutchman was picked out superbly again by Georginio Rutter.
Leeds were reminded that QPR were still a threat with the game at 1-0 in the second half, Illias Chair tried his luck from distance but his effort was straight at Illan Meslier in what was QPR’s first shot on target of the game.
Substitute Patrick Bamford had the next chance for United after he was played through on goal by that man Rutter again, however Bamford’s shot was from an acute angle and was saved well by Begovic.
QPR’s best chance to equalise came with just under five minutes left of normal time when a long ball forward was flicked on by substitute Jimmy Dunne into the path of Lyndon Dykes who was at full stretch to get his shot off. However Meslier came off his line well and was in the right position as the shot bounced off his chest to preserve his clean sheet.
There was more drama in the first minute of stoppage time when Pascal Struijk’s long ball forward was latched onto by Bamford who flicked the ball around the onrushing Begovic just outside of the box before going to ground.
Begovic was outraged when he was dismissed by referee David Webb as there appeared to be no contact between himself and Bamford. After trying to plead this case to no avail, it was Dykes who had to play the rest of stoppage time as the goalkeeper for QPR.
Speaking after the game, Daniel Farke said he was “pretty proud” of his teams performance.
“The game after a loss is always unbelievably difficult, you can be there with four clean sheets in a row and six games unbeaten and there’s one poor result and it’s unbelievably difficult to win the next game.
The most important thing is that you grind out a result and dig in and that’s exactly what happened today.”
Leeds are back at Elland Road on Saturday as they take on Bristol City where they will be looking to maintain their unbeaten record at home this season.