Leeds United vs Newcastle United. Sky Bet Championship.
Elland RoadAttendance36,002.
Sunday 20 November 2016 20:10, UK
Dwight Gayle scored twice as Newcastle beat Leeds 2-0 at Elland Road to earn their eighth Sky Bet Championship victory in a row.
The striker capitalised on a poor error from Leeds goalkeeper Rob Green to put the away side in front midway through the first half on Sunday, before netting again shortly after half-time.
It was a double that took Gayle's tally to 13 for the season in the Championship, and helped cement Newcastle's place at the top of the table, moving Rafa Benitez's side five points clear of second-place Brighton.
It was Newcastle who started the stronger of the two sides at a sold-out Elland Road, and Gayle had the chance to open the scoring after just seven minutes. Having been played in behind the defence by Jonjo Shelvey, the Championship's top scorer was denied well by Green, who was quick off his line to make the save.
Unfortunately, though, Green couldn't show the same quality 16 minutes later as his error handed Newcastle the lead. All the former England goalkeeper had to do was gather Jack Colback's long, hopeful ball high into the box, but instead he backtracked towards his own goal and dropped it at the feet of Gayle, leaving the striker with the simplest of finishes from point-blank range.
Leeds weren't disheartened, though, and their best spell of the game came in the final 15 minutes of the half as they threatened Newcastle's goal on a couple of occasions, first with Karl Darlow called into action to tip over Luke Ayling's header, before they continued to step up the pressure.
And twice before the break the home fans were left appealing for a penalty, when Charlie Taylor appeared to be bundled over by Vurnon Anita, then after Colback seemed to handle the ball following Ronaldo Vieira's attempted cross. But on both occasions referee Graham Scott waved it away.
Leeds came out for the second half and continued in the way they had finished the first, with Eunan O'Kane forcing a fine stop from Darlow in the 49th minute as his low shot seemed destined for the bottom corner.
All the home side's positive play proved futile soon afterwards as Newcastle went forward and doubled their lead with a sumptuous team move after 54 minutes.
Colback fed Anita, who played a one-two with Perez on the edge of the area before crossing low for Gayle, who slid in for his second of the afternoon.
Leeds weren't about to give up in front of their first sell-out in more than six years at Elland Road, but Garry Monk's side couldn't create any real chances to test the Newcastle defence in the closing stages.
And defeat meant Leeds stay seventh and just outside the play-off places in the Championship, one point behind Norwich in sixth.
