Leeds United 0, Birmingham City 1 (From York Press)

Match report: Leeds United 0, Birmingham City 1

10:32am Monday 29th October 2012 in Sport

Leeds United’s seven-match unbeaten run was ended by a bolt from the blue in the npower Championship.

Leroy Lita’s spectacular long range effort 14 minutes from the end of a scrappy Elland Road encounter secured maximum points for Birmingham.

The stunning strike was out of context in a game which rarely set the pulses racing as Leeds failed to score for the first time this season.

The Blues dictated play in the first period although Rodolph Austin almost broke the deadlock with a fierce shot from 30 yards which goalkeeper Jack Butland deflected to safety with a flailing leg.

Apart from an El-Hadji Diouf header superbly saved by Butland, Leeds didn’t have the quality to break through.

As United pushed on, Lita and fellow striker Marlon King looked increasingly dangerous on the break and Lita’s winner came on the counter attack. King almost doubled the lead with another blockbusting shot from outside the box which beat Paddy Kenny and smacked the bar.

Pragmatic Leeds manager Neil Warnock said: “We need a bit of help just now – a couple of new faces to come into the squad, but there is not a lot wrong. I don’t think we deserved to lose.”

United take on Southampton in the Capital One Cup tomorrow.

Leeds United: Kenny, Lees (White 82), Peltier, Pearce, Pugh, Byram, Austin, Norris (Hall 82), Tonge, Diouf, Becchio. Subs (not used): Ashdown, Drury, Green, Brown, Gray.

Birmingham City: Butland, Robinson, Caldwell, Davies, Murphy, Redmond (Burke 67), Morrison, Mullins, Elliott, Lita, King (Spector 90). Subs (not used): Doyle, Ambrose, Packwood, Hancox, Diop.

Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire).

Attendance: 22,152.