Leeds United 3 : 0 Huddersfield Town - Redfearn's Leeds win again

Posted Sunday, September 21, 2014 by PA

Neil Redfearn extended his unbeaten record as Leeds' caretaker head coach to four matches with a convincing 3-0 Sky Bet Championship victory against Huddersfield.

Rudy Austin blasted the first after 19 minutes, Mirco Antenucci doubled the advantage just before half-time and Souleymane Doukara added a third in the 69th minute at Elland Road.

Leeds had defender Gaetano Berardi sent off for a second yellow card in the 73rd minute but Town could not take advantage.

Leeds are expected to appoint Sturm Graz boss Darko Milanic as their new head coach. However, Redfearn, whose name was chanted repeatedly during the game, is likely to be closely consulted by Milanic on first-team team matters during the early weeks.

Town left-back Jack Robinson almost gifted Leeds a goal in the seventh minute. Robinson's back pass lacked pace and was intercepted by Casper Sloth to the right of goal, but Alex Smithies hurried off his line to clear the danger.

Town then allowed Austin to make a long run through the middle unchallenged but the midfielder's poorly directed pass to Antenucci took the striker too wide to be a threat.

Former Leeds captain Lee Peltier wasted a clear opportunity at the near post, but Leeds looked the more fluent side.

Redfearn had called for more goals from his midfield players and his plea was answered when Austin duly grabbed his first goal since March.

Antenucci harried Town's Joel Lynch on the right and the ball bobbled to Austin whose rising shot from just inside the corner of the penalty box fizzed past Smithies at the near post.

Town's main threat came from Harry Bunn's trickery down the left but from one of his accurate crosses Jonathan Hogg headed wide when he should have scored.

Leeds' second goal arrived less than a minute into added time in the first half.

Giuseppe Bellusci chipped the ball against the bar from a pass by Antenucci who followed up to prod home the rebound for his second goal in as many games.

Antenucci's claims for a penalty after the break were rejected when his shot struck Mark Hudson on the arm, but Austin continued to give Town's defence a torrid time and when he slipped the ball through to Doukara, Smithies made a desperate save with his legs.

However, Doukara shot into the bottom right corner from yet another astute pass from Austin on the left.

Doukara nearly made it four with a curling shot which flew just outside the angle of post and bar with the Leeds crowd in full voice.

Town substitute John Stead fired over when clean through and Antenucci's deflected shot struck a post in a high-tempo finish.