ANOTHER two home Championship points slipped through Leeds United grasp as they were denied victory by a late Millwall penalty.
Leeds looked on course for the victory that would ease them away from the drop
zone when Lions' manager Dennis Wise literally made his last throw of the dice.
With just five minutes remaining he chucked on Canadian right-back Adrian
Serioux, the man with a seriously long throw.
With the clock ticking down Serioux hurled a long-range detonator into the
Leeds area which the defence could not defuse and the ball fell to Paul Ifill who was bundled over by John Oster. Up stepped former Leeds man Jody Morris to rifle in the equaliser from the penalty spot, prompting wild celebrations from the returning midfielder.
In truth it should have just been a consolation for the London side had
Leeds taken the good chances their neat, patient play had created.
Apart from a ten-minute spell in the first half, Millwall hardly made a dent
on the Leeds defence in which Gary Kelly, Matthew Kilgallon and skipper Paul
Butler looked cast-iron. Millwall matched United's five-man midfield but
there only looked like one winner once Oster fired Leeds ahead on 43
minutes after being picked out by David Healy's clever pass.
Oster, heavily fined by Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell for his part in a midweek
nightclub brawl, repaid his manager with a performance which oozed class, particularly in the second half.
He gave David Livermore a torrid time on the left of Millwall's defence but
neither Healy or Brian Deane could profit from his good work.
Despite being in control, United's failure to make their dominance pay came back to haunt them.
Leeds United 1, Millwall 1
Coca-Cola Championship (at Elland Road)
Leeds United: Sullivan, Kelly, Kilgallon, Butler, Richardson, Oster, Gregan, Wright (Walton 77), Pugh, Healy, Deane (Joachim 81). Subs (not used): Carson, Carlisle, McMaster. Cautions: Healy, Gregan, Walton. Goal: Oster 43.
Millwall: Marshall, Elliott (Serioux 84), Phillips, Ward, Livermore, Sweeney, Morris, Dobie, Ifill, Hayles (Dunne 69), Dichio. Subs (not used): Stack, Lawrence, Wise. Cautions: Hayles, Phillips, Ward. Goal: Morris 86 pen.
Referee: Tony Leake (Lancashire).
Attendance: 26,265.
Updated: 10:35 Monday, December 20, 2004
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