Leeds leapfrog Southampton into second with easy victory over Plymouth

Posted Saturday, February 17, 2024 by PA

Leeds moved to second in the Championship with a comfortable 2-0 win at Plymouth thanks to goals from forwards Wilfried Gnonto and Georginio Rutter.

Daniel Farke’s side made a flying start and their early pressure was rewarded with a 10th minute goal for in-form Gnonto, taking his goal tally to five in as many games.

Rutter’s audacious high ball into the area split the home defence and Gnonto brilliantly brought the ball down and stroked it home past goalkeeper Conor Hazard.

Argyle’s best attempt in the opening 25 minutes was a long-range shot which flew over by midweek scorer Mickel Miller, recalled to the starting eleven following his impressive display against Coventry.

Miller was also on hand to stop a lightning break in the 32nd minute as Crysencio Summerville looked to pounce on the counter-attack in a one-on-one break.

Seconds earlier United keeper Ilian Meslier did well to punch Morgan Whittaker’s in-swinging corner clear, in a rare Argyle attack.

Rutter came close to putting Leeds 2-0 up in the 38th minute with a first time shot that flew back off the post, with Hazard beaten, after being set up by Joel Piroe.

Piroe did superbly to beat three Argyle players before putting Rutter in on goal.

Miller continued to be a thorn in Leeds’ side in the second half and his pacey 52nd minute cross from the left should have been converted by Kiwi striker Ben Waine, as he slid in on the increasingly wet playing surface.

Three minutes later Miller forced a near-post save from Meslier as he let fly with a rising shot from the left.

Waine headed over from Matthew Sorinola’s cross from the right after 57 minutes.

Meslier punched Adam Randell’s in-swinging corner clear and then was equal to the Plymouth playmaker’s cross as he swept the ball back into a crowded six yard box from the wide on the right.

Summerville fired high and wide after making room for himself in the Plymouth penalty area from Rutter’s cutback.

Within minutes Rutter was at the centre of the action again.

The striker ran on to Joel Piroe’s defence-splitting through ball and beat diving Hazard with a thumping shot on the run into the box, which gave the home keeper little chance on 72 minutes.

Scottish striker Ryan Hardie announced his arrival – as a replacement for Waine – by forcing an acrobatic save from Meslier.

The French keeper made a low save at his near post to keep out 18-goal top scorer Morgan Whittaker’s 88th minute free kick from the right.

Leeds came close to making it three in stoppage time as substitute Daniel James’ thumping strike smashed off the cross bar.