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Leeds United went into this match needing a win to keep up with Sheffield United in the automatic promotion spots, after the Blades had won 3-0 at Hull City earlier in the day. Leeds also hadn’t won at Brentford since 1952, and while that stat is overblown, as Leeds went over 50 years without playing at Griffin Park, but everyone already knew where was going, right?
Despite some encouraging words and signs before the match, Leeds never looked right and couldn’t finish a number of good chances in the first half. Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Gjanni Alioksi was forced off through injury in the 10th minute, with Stuart Dallas coming on in his stead.
Leeds Bamford brought down in the penalty box in front of the referee ...... pic.twitter.com/XMKUDGyfoZ
— John (@John_MooreMOT) April 22, 2019
Patrick Bamford appeared to win a penalty in the first half, but the referee wasn’t interested and while it did look nailed on as a penalty, Leeds probably would have missed it, as they have with two of their last penalties.
And despite not creating very much on the attack for most of the first half, Neil Maupay broke loose and scored the match’s opening goal for Brentford in the dying embers of the first half. And once again, Leeds went down 1-0 at half time, but could they come back in the second half? Of course they couldn’t.
Dallas had a decent effort on goal right at the start of the second half, but his shot was stopped by the Brentford keeper. Leeds looked to try and get some positive results from the match, but Patrick Bamford seemed unable to get a shot on target, although to be fair, neither could anyone else. Kemar Roofe was brought on for Tyler Roberts in the 58th minute, but he couldn’t finish either.
Our season summed up in the space of one minute.#lufc pic.twitter.com/TNTtY8ID3m
— James - Leeds That ♂️ (@leedsthat) April 22, 2019
And just when it looked as if Leeds might find their way back into the match, Sergei Canos scored Brentford’s second goal of the match in the 62nd minute. Jack Clarke came on in the 64th minute for Pontus Jansson as Leeds started to chase the match, but in the end Brentford, the team that had only won once in their last eight, against Ipswich Town, won the match. The team and fans were treated to a lot of “Leeds are falling apart again” songs from the home crowd, as their season had gone in the toilet already after Dean Smith left for Aston Villa and he took any chance at the playoffs with them.
This whole match was yet again an embarrassing display for Leeds, who really need to look in the mirror and take stock of their commitment if they are to get through the playoffs and get promotion, because right now it looks a million miles away.