Coventry v Leeds 14/09/96 3.00Coventry (0) 2 Leeds (1) 1 FT Salako 57 Couzens 1 Whelan 65 Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan scored his opening goal of the season to clinch Coventry's first win of the campaign and make it an unhappy start for new Elland Road manager George Graham. Graham, who took over at Elland Road on Tuesday, had been given the perfect start to his reign with a goal inside the first minute from Andy Couzens. After that, though, his side were second best for the majority of the game and could have few complaints about the final outcome. Coventry showed the fight and commitment demanded by manager Ron Atkinson after collecting only one point from their opening five games - but they also deomonstrated plenty of skill. 
John Salako brought them back on level terms and then Whelan, sold by Howard Wilkinson for £2million last season, swooped for the winner midway through the second period. Graham was left with plenty to think about, as his side lacked imagination and purpose - and looked insecure in defence. There were only 50 seconds showing on the clock when Leeds broke the deadlock through Couzens - one of three players recalled to the starting line-up by Graham. Andy Gray burst down the left flank and picked out Ian Rush in the centre. He laid the ball back into the path of Couzens, who from 25 yards out curled a shot past Coventry keeper Steve Ogrizovic. Coventry responded to the challenge and Paul Telfer twice came close to equalising before the interval. In the 37th minute he headed a yard wide and in first-half injury-time his shot hit the inside of a post and came back out. Coventry continued to dictate after the interval and Ian Harte was fortunate to deflect a McAllister corner towards his own goal - but straight at Martyn. However, the Sky Blues were not to be denied and two goals in seven minutes put them in command. 
Salako was allowed to run unchallenged towards the penalty area and his left-footed shot from 20 yards flew past the diving Nigel Martyn in the 57th minute. It was City's first goal in 405 minutes of football, but their long-suffering supporters did not have to wait long to celebrate another. In the 64th minute a free kick from David Burrows was flipped on by Dion Dublin and Whelan ran through to lift the ball over Martyn into the roof of the net. Leeds rallied in the final stages and Coventry had luck on their side in injury time when Rod Wallace crashed a shot against the bar, but it would have been rough justice on Atkinson's side. 
Coventry: (4-4-2) Ogrizovic, Borrows, Hall, Shaw, Burrows, Telfer, Richardson, McAllister, Whelan, Dublin, Salako. Subs not used: Filan, O'Neill, Ducros, Williams, Jess. Leeds: (5-3-2) Martyn, Kelly, Harte, Palmer, Jobson, Wetherall, Couzens (Ford, 86), Wallace, Rush, Hateley, Gray (Blunt, 67). Subs not used: Beeney, Radebe, Jackson. Attendance: 17,297. Referee: G Willard (Worthing). |
