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Jack Gaughan at Daily Mail |
Leeds (0) 1-1 (0) Fulham
Leeds were spared record-equalling embarrassment by Chris Wood’s stoppage-time bicycle kick.
The striker thundered in a equaliser with seconds to go after Tom Cairney’s sublime 77th-minute opener for Fulham.
It meant Garry Monk escaped with his first point as Leeds manager and did not leave Elland Road having guided his new employers to three consecutive league defeats to start a season for the first time since 1936.
‘I don’t know if delighted is the right word but I was pleased for the players,’ Monk said. ‘The most pleasing bit for me was that last 10 minutes.
‘When their goal went in we could’ve easily felt sorry for ourselves considering the first two games, thinking things were against us again.
‘We talked about that character and desire after the Birmingham game. You could see the spirit was with them in the dressing room afterwards. They were very together.’
Monk knows Leeds cannot be transformed overnight after abject campaigns under Massimo Cellino’s ownership and needs to be given time, although there are already murmurs of divisions in opinion over transfer policy, even allowing for Liam Bridcutt signing from Sunderland on Tuesday.
Regardless, this impressive late comeback gives the new man a platform to build ahead of a Yorkshire derby away at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
‘We’ve only been together for seven weeks,’ Monk added. ‘I’m especially happy for Woody, who missed a chance just before that. He epitomised our spirit with that equaliser.
‘In the three games we’ve probably experienced a season’s worth of drama.’
The visitors were generally the better side and looked to have continued their 100 per cent record when Cairney exquisitely bent round Robert Green from 25 yards.
Fulham had earlier twice hit the woodwork via Sone Aluko and ex-Leeds man Matt Smith.
Slavisa Jokanovic certainly felt aggrieved on a night 16-year-old Ryan Sessegnon made a Championship debut to remember, showing why Tottenham are keenly following his progress.
The left back was electric bombing down the line and could have even capped a maiden league start with a goal, firing wide when clean through and seeing another effort tipped wide.
‘We have to be careful about him,’ Jokanovic said. ‘He offered many quality things. He’s still a boy. He’s doing work with adults but I don’t see any difference.
‘We’re a little bit frustrated at the equaliser and we didn’t score goals earlier. This can happen in the Championship.
‘We are unhappy but in general my team played their best game so far. We had everything under control. I can be satisfied with many things we showed.’
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