Casilla absence no obstacle for Leeds as they ease past Hull

Posted on by TheEllenBlog

LEEDS COPED WITHOUT suspended goalkeeper Kiko Casilla as they beat Hull 4-0 at the KCOM Stadium to keep up the pressure on Sky Bet Championship leaders West Brom.

The Spaniard had been banned for eight games and fined £60,000 by an FA disciplinary commission on the eve of the game for racially abusing Charlton’s Jonathan Leko during a match in September.

Stand-in keeper Illan Meslier was rarely troubled and goals from Luke Ayling and Pablo Hernandez plus substitute Tyler Roberts’ late brace made it four wins in a row for Leeds.

Hull’s poor run of form continued as they went 10 Championship games without a win to leave them embroiled in the battle to avoid relegation.

Hull started with intent and Callum Elder’s long throw found Josh Magennis but he headed wide across goal.

Leeds grabbed the lead inside five minutes as Ayling’s shot from distance took a deflection off Elder and looped wide of George Long and into the corner.

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It should have been 2-0 shortly after but the unmarked Hernandez saw his shot come back off the bar.

Leeds were dominating play and the home side took 22 minutes to register a first shot on target, a first-time effort from Kevin Stewart.

Hull were limited going forward and their next attack saw Stewart fire off target following good build-up play involving Magennis and Martin Samuelsen.

Leeds dominated first half possession but rarely threatened again before the break against a Hull side still looking for a first home league win this year.

Leeds were again quick off the mark in the second half as they went 2-0 up after 47 minutes as Hernandez shot across goal from the corner of the six-yard box following a pass by Helder Costa.

Long beat away Costa’s shot after good work by Jack Harrison and Stuart Dallas set up the chance as the visitors threatened to run riot.

Long got down to his left to palm away a shot from outside the area by Mateusz Klich and then Harrison cut in from the right and angled an effort across goal which came back off the post as the visitors looked to kill off the game.

Hull responded but George Honeyman just failed to get his foot to a ball into the area from Stewart and Meslier collected with an hour gone.

Substitute Norbert Balogh came closest for Hull when he turned and fired against the post with a quarter of the game to go.

Harrison was denied by Long’s save low to his left as a brief hailstorm blanketed the sunny KCOM.

Costa also tested Long but the Hull captain could do nothing to prevent a third Leeds goal with nine minutes remaining.

Roberts fired in as the creaking home defence failed to cope with yet another attack and the substitute then headed home three minutes later to go to cap a fine performance by the visitors.

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