Leeds cruise past Ipswich

Leeds players mob Brian Kidd after the second goal

Leeds United 2-0 Ipswich Town
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Leeds United overcame Ipswich to put their nightmare spell behind them - and then sent a message of support to underfire coach Brian Kidd.

Second-half goals from Robbie Fowler and Ian Harte gave Leeds their first win since New Year's Day.

Fowler put the home side ahead just 16 seconds into the second half with a speculative 22-yard shot that took a freak bounce over Ipswich goalkeeper Andy Marshall and into the net.

  Key moments

17 mins: Ipswich's Marshall saves from Kelly

30 mins: Armstrong heads wide for Ipswich

46 mins: Fowler volleys Leeds in front

77 mins: Leeds' Harte scores from the spot

And Harte made the points safe from the penalty spot after Marshall had fouled Alan Smith on 78 minutes.

Neither goal was a classic but after a 441-minute goal drought stretching back almost a month, Leeds were not complaining about a lack of style.

And the players took the opportunity of Harte's clincher to make a point about their support for head coach Kidd.

Leeds fans had chanted abuse at him at Everton on Sunday.

Robbie Fowler celebrates his opening goal

Harte responded to sending Marshall the wrong way by leading a posse of players to the home bench and embracing Kidd.

The penalty, which Ipswich disputed as a dive, was a hammer blow for the relegation battlers.

On a night when a fierce wind put control at a premium, they had enjoyed a spell of pressure between the goals.

A lot of people needed to know what those of us within this football club think of Brian and what the players did was marvellous

David O'Leary
Leeds manager

But overall they came no closer than a Jim Magilton shot that Nigel Martyn saved during that period and a first-half header that Alun Armstrong steered narrowly past a post.

Leeds opened up the visitors periodically throughout the 90 minutes.

But they were kept largely at bay by an organised defence well marshalled by John McGreal and Fabian Wilnis.

When Leeds did find a way through, Marshall made important saves.

We made a couple of mistakes and that is what cost us the match

George Burley
Ipswich boss

The goalkeeper proved equal to Fowler's long range lob and then dived full length to parry Gary Kelly's low shot before the break.

And when Marshall was finally stranded in the 89th minute, Hermann Hreidarsson popped up on the line to stop Fowler adding the gloss of a third goal to the scoreline.

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Leeds United: Martyn, Kelly, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte, Smith, Bakke, Batty, Kewell (Kewell 78), Fowler, Viduka.
Subs not used: Robinson, Dacourt, Wilcox, Duberry.

Booked: Batty

Ipswich Town: Marshall, Wilnis, Hreidarsson, McGreal, Clapham, Venus, George (Miller 84), Holland, Magilton, Armstrong (Counago 78), Stewart (Bent 78).
Subs not used: Sereni, Bramble.

Booked: McGreal, Wilnis

Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire)