Saints hold Leeds

Pennant (left) made a promising debut for Leeds Pictures from Tuesday's games

Leeds 0-0 Southampton

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Leeds enjoyed the better of a mediocre encounter at Elland Road but neither they nor Southampton were able to break the deadlock.

The home team played with verve and purpose, Jermaine Pennant impressing on debut and Lamine Sakho catching the eye once more.

A lack of quality service for strike duo James Beattie and Kevin Phillips restricted the visitors' opportunities and manager Gordon Strachan cut a frustrated figure on the touchline.

But Southampton defended well as a unit, with Paul Jones making several good saves before the break.

Leeds started aggressively and thought they had scored after just three minutes only for Sakho's far-post header from Gary Kelly's free-kick to be ruled out for offside.

KEY MOMENTS 3 mins: Sakho has a goal ruled out for offside 35 mins: Jones saves from Johnson 42 mins: Robinson tips Dodd's shot over the crossbar

Strachan was soon forced into a rethink, with Rory Delap limping off to be replaced by Paul Telfer.

Mark Viduka should have converted a Pennant cross after 26 minutes but failed to hit the target as Leeds pushed for an opener.

The lively Pennant cut inside moments later and forced a good save from Jones.

Seth Johnson also forced a stop from Jones while the Southampton keeper had to be on top form to deny Kelly, whose looping cross appeared to heading goalwards.

Southampton, in contrast, mustered little throughout the opening half, Phillips failing to connect with Fabrice Fernandes' cross and Beattie failing to make a clean contact from 15 yards.

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But on the stroke of half-time Jason Dodd almost scored, with a dipping shot from 35 yards that was well saved by Paul Robinson.

Leeds were unable to create the same volume of chances in the second half.

Smith hooked the ball over the crossbar but would have had a much better opportunity if the pass from Sakho had not been played behind him.

Matthew Oakley almost gave the visitors an unlikely lead, but, having beaten Robinson, he could only watch as his strike drifted narrowly wide.

As full-time loomed, both teams searched for an unlikely winner - and Saints substitute Brett Ormerod was thwarted by Robinson.

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Leeds: Robinson, Kelly, Camara, Matteo, Harte (Richardson 82), Pennant (Wilcox 90), Morris (Batty 67), Seth Johnson, Sakho, Smith, Viduka.
Subs Not Used: Martyn, Lennon.

Booked: Matteo, Sakho.

Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Lundekvam, Michael Svensson, Le Saux, Fernandes, Delap (Telfer 9), Oakley, Prutton (McCann 78), Phillips (Ormerod 85), Beattie.
Subs Not Used: Blayney, Higginbotham.

Booked: Le Saux, Oakley, Fernandes.

Attendance: 34,721

Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).