Soft goals prove undoing of Leeds United at Forest

Leeds United boss Garry Monk rued his side's defending at corners as it proved costly in their 3-1 Championship defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Garry Monk takes the chance to talk to his players with things going wrong at Nottingham Forest.Garry Monk takes the chance to talk to his players with things going wrong at Nottingham Forest.
Garry Monk takes the chance to talk to his players with things going wrong at Nottingham Forest.

The Whites had previously conceded a number of goals from set pieces this season, but looked to have tightened up in the area in recent matches until they were undone by two corners at the City Ground.

Unhappy head coach Monk said: “We gifted them two soft goals, which made it difficult,

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“We have the international break now and some time for us to work on things, to drill a few things into the players.

“We need to cut out the sloppiness and the individual errors. We have the squad to address this.

“We conceded soft goals and Forest did nothing in general play otherwise. If not for the goals we conceded we would have won the game, definitely.”

Leeds, showing 10 changes from the side that beat Luton in the EFL Cup in midweek and one from the team that won at Sheffield Wednesday, started well enough with Pablo Hernandez looking lively on the left wing and putting an early effort off target.

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But it was Forest who took the lead on 16 minutes when a corner was flicked on at the near post and turned it at the far by Pajtim Kasami as he caught Charlie Taylor napping.

United almost replied when Hadi Sacko’s cross almost caught home keeper Stephen Henderson out.

Neither side created much in the opening half, although Rob Green had to make a save from Kasami’s free-kick and at the other end Marcus Antonsson saw his shot blocked.

A better chance fell to Antonsson in injury time, but he was denied by a fine Henderson save.

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United started the second half well with some pressure on the home goal ended when Chris Wood fired over and Hernandez slipped when well placed.

Ben Osborn hit a shot wide for Forest before Sacko was off target with a shot from distance for Leeds.

The crucial second goal went to the hosts as they won another corner and Damien Perquis beat Liam Cooper to head the ball into the net.

To United’s credit, they tried to battle back as Wood sent a header off target from a Hernandez cross.

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They did make it 2-1 seven minutes from time when substitute Kalvin Phillips beat keeper Henderson with a well struck curling free-kick from 20 yards out.

Leeds went looking for an equaliser with defender Kyle Bartley heading wide from a corner and Antonsson once more again denied by Henderson.

But it was Forest who wrapped up the points in the fourth minute of added time as Oliver Burke got away from Luke Ayling and Cooper in the box then beat Green at his near post to make it 3-1.

Match facts

(Kasami 16, Perquis 71, Burke 90+4)

(Phillips 83)

Saturday, August 27, 2016

EFL Championship

Attendance: 20,995

Forest: Henderson, Pereira, Mancienne, Perquis (Mills 77), Lichaj, Cohen, Burke, Lansbury, Kasami, Osborn, Vellios (Cash 83).

Leeds: Green, Ayling, Cooper, Bartley, Taylor, Bridcutt, Vieira (Phillips 66), Hernandez (Mowatt 81), Sacko (Roofe 71), Antonsson, Wood.

Referee: Geoff Eltringham.