Leeds will need a few wins like this if they’re to make it back to the Premier League at the first attempt.
Perfunctory, not the most exciting or inspiring – but essential. These must be the home bankers against sides like Queens Park Rangers who are destined for a season of struggle.
Daniel Farke, twice promotion winner with Norwich, understands this only too well.
Not every performance can be polished, however many highly-tuned attacking players you have at your disposal. Not every scoreline can three or four-nil. Some have to be ground out and you just have to be satisfied.
Crysencio Summerville’s early goal proved enough against a QPR side who offered next to nothing as if already resigned to a brutal relegation fight.
Crysencio Summerville’s early goal proved enough to secure Leeds all three points
Asmir Begovic was sent off in added time in a decision that will cause a great deal of debate
When Ilias Chair saw a tame shot saved by Ilian Meslier midway through the second-half, those die-hards who’d made the long journey from west London chanted ironically: ‘We’ve had a shot.’
They ended up with 10 men when goalkeeper Asmir Begovic brought down Patrick Bamford in stoppage time, leading to the spectacle of Lyndon Dykes donning the gloves with all subs used.
Leeds really should have been out of sight by half-time and were disjointed for long spells after the break, but the job was still completed.
It was a necessary response to Saturday’s dismal 3-1 defeat at Southampton and keeps them ticking over nicely.
At St Mary’s on Saturday, Leeds found themselves three down and out of contention after only half-an-hour, so the first objective here was to seize the initiative and some control.
That they achieved, their early probing of the QPR back line resulting in a nicely-executed opener on nine minutes.
Leeds United got back to winning ways after a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Southampton last weekend
There was an element of fortune, however, with the ball appearing to roll out of play – something spotted by neither the referee nor his assistant – before Sam Byram simply kept the ball moving and his team-mates didn’t stop either.
It came to Georginio Rutter on the left and his square pass found Summerville in plenty of space to apply a deft finish into the bottom corner.
It was almost lights out for Rangers four minutes later but Joe Rodon could only guide a header wide after beating Osman Kakay to Summerville’s deep corner.
There was little attacking threat from Gareth Ainsworth’s side, reflecting their low confidence and lowly league position.
Leeds, meanwhile, found plenty of joy down the flanks, with Jaidon Anthony cutting inside and slipping a clever through ball into Rutter.
His cut-back was just begging for Summerville to strike it and it was goalbound until Jake Clarke-Salter found a crucial block.
Leeds were able to press at will and Rangers frustrations were illustrated when Sam Field was booked for a cynical foul on Summerville, about the Leeds man had been brought down in half-an-hour.
Archie Gray, the 17-year-old from impeccable footballing stock, strolled through midfield at will, invariably picking the right pass.
The visitors’ opening 45 was summed up when, on a very rare foray forward, Sinclair Armstrong got in behind Pascal Struijk only to cross to absolutely nobody in the middle.
The second-half was a struggle and Farke introduced Patrick Bamford, only just back from the hamstring injury that delayed the start of his season, to offer something different.
He was soon breaking in behind QPR lines, while Gray wasn’t too far away with an instinctive effort from just outside the box.
Bamford forced Asmir Begovic into a low, near-post save after Rutter had looped a pass into him before Dan James’s deflected effort required the QPR keeper to react and touch over.
The narrow lead gave QPR a glimmer of hope and Lyndon Dykes, who’d barely had a sniff all night, saw a late shot blocked by Meslier with the Leeds keeper not knowing much about it.
And Bamford was clean through in stoppage time when Begovic went in feet-first on the edge of the box and clipped the striker, earning a red card.
