McCormack goal secures points for Leeds

Leeds United kept their slim play off hopes alive with a 1-0 home win over Burnley.

Ross McCormack scored his first goal for the club just past the half hour mark as Leeds dominated for long periods.

The win was Leeds first in six games and finished off any lingering hopes of Burnley reaching the play offs.

Billy Paynter fired just wide for Leeds early on and Max Gradel tested Jensen as they started the game brightly.

Burnley could have taken the lead with their first meaningful chance but Schmeichel come racing off his line to deny Michael Duff with the ball hitting him in the face.

Paynter then had Jensen scrambling across his line to deny him the opener after a good header.

McCormack finally opened the scoring when he found himself inside the Burnley defence after a good through ball from Bradley Johnson.

The striker kept his composure to fire the ball past Jensen and open the scoring.

As usual though Leeds quickly allowed their opposition a chance and were lucky when Bikey flashed a header wide of the post.

Leeds continued to press in the second half and Paynter had two great chances to increase the lead in a matter of minutes.

Firstly, he headed straight at Jensen and then dragged a shot wide of the post.

O`Brien then saw his point blank header saved by Jensen and the Burnley shot stopper denied McCormack with the help of a post as Leeds searched for the comfort of a second goal.

The game threatened to boil over after a poor challenge on Gradel by McCann that saw with both sides involved in a bust up that saw McCann for Burnley and Eric Lichaj and Neil Kilkenny booked for Leeds.

With Leeds having missed chances to increase their lead, Burnley started to come into the game and Cork saw his long-range effort go narrowly wide.

In the final minute of normal time, Ross Wallace forced Schmeichel into a great fingertip save from a free kick.

From the resulting corner, panic in the Leeds box saw the ball eventually scrambled away.

Late Leeds substitute Sanchez Watt then missed two good opportunities to finish the game off as a contest but failed to trouble the keeper with two scuffed shots.

The win moved Leeds back into seventh and on level points with Nottingham Forest in the final play off place for a few hours at least.

Forest made light work of beating Scunthorpe United 5-1 and now look almost certain of securing the final play off place with Leeds needing an eight-goal turnaround on the final day of the season.

Teams

Leeds
Schmeichel, Lichaj, O`Brien, Naylor, McCartney, Howson, Johnson, Gradel (Watt 89), Kilkenny, Paynter (Snodgrass 76), McCormack (Bromby 90)

Subs not used
Higgs, Bruce, Livermore, Connolly

Burnley
Jensen, Duff (Wallace 74), Mears, Bikey, Fox, Eagles, McCann (Delfouneso 63), Iwelumo (Thompson 78), Cork, Rodriguez, Elliott

Subs not used
Grant, Alexander, McCann, Bartley

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