Swindon Town 1, Leeds United 3 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Swindon Town 1, Leeds United 3

4:57pm Saturday 13th September 2008 in Wiltshire Sport By Jon Boyle

Jermaine Beckford's predatory brace for Leeds condemned Swindon to their second successive home defeat despite Town playing 81 minutes against ten men.

Leeds' Alan Sheehan saw red for an X-rated tackle early on but it didn't stop classy United gaining a deserved victory in an ill-tempered clash at the County Ground, as Beckford's double and Neil Kilkenny's first goal of the season rendered Simon Cox's equaliser for Town useless.

Leeds looked overly aggressive in the early stages and after Rui Marques had been booked for a cynical foul on Cox on the edge of the box, Sheehan was shown a straight red card in the ninth minute for a crude two-footed lunge on Jon-Paul McGovern on the half-way line.

Swindon almost made their numerical advantage count two minutes later when Cox's ten-yard volley was saved at full-stretch by United goalkeeper David Lucas, after Jerel Ifil had knocked back Anthony McNamee's corner into the danger zone.

But Beckford handed Leeds a shock lead against the run of play in the 23rd minute after a howler from Town defender Ifil.

The towering centre-back allowed skipper Frazer Richardson's routine cross to slip under his foot and Beckford was left unmarked to fire his ninth goal of the season past Robins goalkeeper Phil Smith from close range.

The goal gave Leeds a boost and they dominated the remainder of the first half until Cox equalised for Swindon from a quick counter-attack at the other end on the stroke of half-time.

McNamee broke quickly down the left and delivered a pin-point cross to the unmarked Cox, who easily volleyed his sixth goal of the season past Lucas from five yards.

But an incredible gaffe by Swindon keeper Smith gifted Leeds a 2-1 lead five minutes after the break.

Kilkenny curled a weak 35-yard free-kick straight at Smith but amazingly the stopper allowed the ball to slip out of his grasp and trickle over the line.

Cox had a point-blank header brilliantly saved by Lucas from McNamee's cross and Ifil and Billy Paynter were just off target as Town battled back.

At the other end, Beckford fired inches wide when one-on-one with Smith from Fabian Delph's unselfish pass and then chipped another effort just over the bar.

But livewire striker Beckford sealed the win six minutes from the end when he raced clear onto substitute David Prutton's pass to coolly slot his tenth goal of the season past the on-rushing Smith.

Swindon Town: P Smith, J Smith, Ifil, Aljofree (c), Easton (Timlin 69, booked 83), McGovern (Marshall 64), McNamee, Amankwaah, Nalis (booked 42), Paynter, Cox (booked 45). Subs: Scott, Timlin, Marshall, Morrison, Peacock.

Leeds United: Lucas, Richardson (c), Douglas, Marques (booked 4), Kilkenny (Prutton 58), (booked 55) Beckford (booked 61) (Snodgrass 86), Becchio (Howson 58), Sheehan (sent off 9), Delph (booked 66), Hughes, Telfer. Subs: Prutton, Howson, Robinson, Snodgrass, Martin.

Referee: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire).

Attendance: 13,001.