Match Recap: Leeds fail to have another miracle comeback and fall 2-0 to Hull City

Leeds United had their winning streak stopped at seven games as Kamil Grosicki and Jared Bowen lead Hull City to a win over Leeds at Elland Road. This was the first loss to Hull by Leeds since 2012, but Leeds still stay on top of the league on goal difference as Norwich City won at Derby County to keep pace with Leeds.

Hull looked a lot more comfortable and willing to go forward today than they did in the match earlier in the season that was played at the KCOM Stadium. A number of chances for the visitors was interspursed with some attempts on goal from Leeds, with the bulk of them coming from Pablo Hernandez, as he had a couple chances go just off-target.

Leeds were penalized for some sloppy play, as a Hull free kick was put into the box from Grosicki, and Jared Bowen was able to pounce on the poor clearance from Kalvin Phillips. Not the best goal to concede, to be honest, and that’s one goal the defence would have liked to have another crack at clearing. For all of the criticism that Bailey Peacock-Farrell has got over the past few weeks, there wasn’t a lot that he could have done to stop it.

Hull got another good chance a few minutes later, and while Leeds did a little better attacking after giving up the goal, the final ball still seemed to elude the hosts. Leeds went into halftime down 1-0, and while Leeds trailing at half-time isn’t anything new, a lead at halftime would be a rather welcome change for once.

Water is wet, the sky is blue, and Jack Clarke comes on at half-time. Clarke made a couple decent moves in the first 15 minutes or so of the second half, but once again, Leeds weren’t able to get to the final ball.

Leeds gave up another goal after being caught on on the break. Grosicki once again provided the start for Hull, after he beat Douglas down the Leeds left-hand side and got a dangerous ball into the box. Peacock-Farrell did well to stop the initial shot, but Bowen against pounced on the loose ball to get his second goal on the day.

Tyler Roberts came on for Barry Douglas and the chances for Leeds started to increase. Gjanni Alioski moved out to left back, Hernandez moved to the left wing, and Roberts went to play at the 10 behind Kemar Roofe. Roberts started to make some moves of his own, looking to link up with some of the other Leeds players, perhaps looking to score another goal against Hull this season, but the final ball seemed to still elude the home team.

Shackleton, who appeared to be coming on at the same time as Roberts earlier in the match, came on about 10 minutes later for Ayling, the captain for the day for Leeds. Shackleton is quicker than Ayling, and immediately tried to beat his man down the pitch but once again, Hull was ready to defend the final ball from Leeds.

Roberts had a ball cleared off the line in the 88th minute after Clarke had tried to put a ball into the six-yard box and Roberts’ shot was cleared off the line after three (!) Hull players had gone to stand on the line.

Hernandez took a corner kick near the end of regular time, but it was poor and his follow up cross was grabbed by David Marshall, the Hull keeper.

The story of the match, here in one moment, as Matuesz Klich failed to put everything on the ball and his weak shot was easily saved. A number of chances for Leeds seemed to fall in the exact same way, with some good movement that the final ball that just never seemed to fall for Leeds.

And no heroics today for Leeds, but that’s football, right? Still top of the league, and you can’t win them all.