An epoch-making header from Pontus Jansson in the dying embers of the match saw Leeds United claim a critical three points with a 2-1 over Blackburn at Ewood Park.

In a game in which clear-cut goalscoring opportunities were a profound rarity, Leeds United, through gritted teeth, ground out a laborious victory over relegation contenders Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

Goals from Stuart Dallas and Pontus Jansson either side of a fortuitous long-range effort from Elliott Bennett proved decisive for the Whites, who move to within a mere point of Reading in third place.

The result ensures that Leeds have secured a league double over the Lancashire club for the first time since the 2003-04 season.

Team Lineups

Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2) - Steele; Nyambe, Greer, Lenihan, Williams; Feeney (Conway 78’), Lowe (Lucas Joao 79’), Mulgrew, Bennett; Graham, Gallagher.

Unused Substitutes: Martin, Brown, Guthrie, Mahoney, Tomlinson.

Leeds United (4-2-3-1) - Green; Ayling, Bartley, Jansson, Berardi; O’Kane (Vieira 78’), Bridcutt; Sacko (Hernandez 45’), Roofe (Doukara 61’), Dallas; Wood.

Unused Substitutes: Silvestri, Coyle, Phillips, Antonsson.

First-Half

It would be the hosts, Blackburn, who would get the game underway. With little more than four minutes of play elapsed, Rovers had the ball in the net, though Jason Lowe’s effort was quashed; chalked off for a foul on United keeper Rob Green.

Leeds would have to wait until the 22nd minute for their first shot toward goal of note.Prolific talisman Chris Wood unleashed a venomous shot that flew merely inches wide of Jason Steele’s far post.

12 minutes passed, before the visitors would create the game’s inaugural chance; Kemar Roofe headed wide from 10 yards out after a sumptuous cross from the right by Luke Ayling.

That would be the final act of a mundane first-half, which presented scarce chances for both sides.

HT - Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Leeds United

Second-Half

The first shot on target didn’t arise until the 74th minute after much futile battling between the two sides. Liam Bridcutt’s hanging ball to the back-post was superbly brought under control by Stuart Dallas, before the Northern Ireland international, left-footed, found the bottom-right corner with lethal precision.

After a seemingly eternal wait for the game’s first shot on target, one that culminated in the opening goal of the match, Blackburn then equalised in a matter of nine minutes. Elliott Bennett’s audacious effort from range fortuitously bobbled past Rob Green to the sheer elation of Owen Coyle and the sparsely populated home terraces.

Three minutes passed before Blackburn’s Lucas Joao, fresh from making a move to Ewood Park from Sheffield Wednesday, was presented with an opportunity to turn the game on its head from just ten yards out - though the Portuguese striker could one leather a wild effort over the crossbar.

As a direct consequence of Joao’s profligacy, the hosts were to be mercilessly punished. Blackburn hearts sank to their deepest depths as an unmarked Pontus Jansson, who had, prior to netting the game’s decisive goal, headed away innumerable opposition crosses, emphatically met a pinpoint Pablo Hernandez corner kick to send the travelling Leeds fans into ecstatic raptures.

The three minutes of added time were then effortlessly negotiated by the visitors, who held firm to secure a vital three points away from home.

FT - Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Leeds United - Bennett (83’), Dallas (74’), Jansson (89’).

Man Of The Match

Pontus Jansson (7.91 WhoScored Statistical Match Rating)

Hailing from Sweden, and possessed of an ox’s strength, the towering defensive juggernaut not only headed home his third goal of the season to seal the three points for his side, but he also made a significant defensive contribution, aiding his team’s cause with a deluge of clearances.

Pass Success: 86%

Touches: 58

Clearances: 15

Tackles Won: 3

Aerials Won: 2

Media: Defeated Blackburn boss Owen Coyle and victorious Leeds United head coach Garry Monk:

Owen Coyle, speaking to www.rovers.co.uk:

"We felt hard done by to go a goal down as we were in total control of the game at the time.

"But we picked ourselves up, we were aggressive and got it back to one each. Then we have a wonderful chance with terrific football as Danny Graham laid it off to young Lucas Joao but it goes over the bar.

"We then should have made sure that we didn't give anything up, so the galling thing it is comes from a simple set-play. It was a good ball in but we've not marked tightly enough and the boy has planted a free header into the corner.

"So it is really hard to take as we put so much into the game. It is so frustrating, I am disappointed for everyone, we should be leaving with at least one point if not the three."

Garry Monk, speaking to the media:

"It wasn't a great performance, it was a bit of a scrappy game.

“On nights like this you need to grind it out and we managed to come through.

"We limited Blackburn, we put our bodies on the line and most importantly found a way to win.”

Match Statistics and Facts

Stats - (Blackburn/Leeds)

Possession -  49% / 51%

Pass Success - 74% / 77%

Aerial Success - 59% / 41%

Shots - 6 / 10

On Target - 1 / 2

Tackles - 18 / 21

Corners - 6 / 5

Fouls - 8 / 9

Referee - Geoff Eltringham

Booked - Jansson (Leeds).

Attendance - 17,026

Writer’s Verdict

An arduous, marginal win but Garry Monk will be delighted that, in spite of his side failing to play to their maximum potential, his charges have ground out a hard-fought win in a manner akin to that of genuine promotion contenders. A dogged Blackburn ensured that the game was largely played on their terms, with both sides prosaic in possession for lengthy periods of the match, but ultimately, Leeds capitalized on the few opportunities that did present themselves and secure a first league double since 2003-04 over their Lancashire counterparts in the process. A climacteric clash away to Huddersfield on Sunday awaits, and in spite of a valuable victory, United will have to produce a vastly better performance than they did tonight if they are to inflict defeat upon David Wagner’s side.

Photo: Action Images

TimWhelan added 13:57 - Feb 2 The first 70 minutes was very laborious from Leeds, even though most of them should have been fresh after not playing at Sutton. We had most of the possession, but too many attacks broke down through sloppy passing. A great goal from Dallas, but I thought Green should have done better with the Blackburn goal. I didn't think there was any danger when the shot was struck ,as it was from a long way out and not that hard, but somehow it bounced past Green into the net. But they say the teams to look out for are the ones who win when they haven't played well, and Blackburn were kind enough to leave Jansson unmarked at a corner.

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TimWhelan added 14:02 - Feb 2 And I've just seen the stats on the official site, that we had 6,402 out of the crowd of 17,026. A great effort from us, but it didn't look like Blackburn even had as many as that! Apart from a few teenagers banging their drum in the corner nearest us, we didn't hear a peep out of the home fans all night.
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