Leeds United vs Rotherham United. Sky Bet Championship.
Elland RoadAttendance35,261.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Leeds United and Rotherham United at Elland Road on Saturday | Two goals from Crysencio Summerville and one from Patrick Bamford help Daniel Farke's men to victory
Saturday 10 February 2024 18:58, UK
Leeds maintained their Championship promotion charge with a comfortable 3-0 win in a Yorkshire derby against Rotherham.
Patrick Bamford put Leeds ahead in controversial circumstances at Elland Road with heavy suggestions of handball after a deflected cross appeared to brush his arm on its way in.
Crysencio Summerville added a second after the break for the dominant Whites and later scored his second from the penalty spot as the hosts made it six Championship wins in succession.
Leeds were aiming to maintain their unbeaten start to 2024 while Rotherham, the Championship's basement club, were seeking their first win since Boxing Day.
Daniel Farke made six changes from the Leeds side that beat Plymouth in midweek FA Cup action and opposite number Leam Richardson named an unchanged team from that which tasted defeat to Southampton last weekend.
After early Rotherham pressure, Wilfried Gnonto got in behind the Millers but was unable to find Summerville ahead of goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.
Georginio Rutter's promising cross then found Bamford but his weak effort was claimed by Johansson after five minutes.
Bamford was denied before 10 minutes was played by Hakeem Odoffin's low tackle after Rutter's good work as the hosts continued to apply pressure.
Leeds took the lead when Junior Firpo's left-wing cross deflected off Rotherham skipper Sean Morrison and struck what appeared to be Bamford's arm to put the Whites ahead.
Rutter's shot from outside the box flew just over before Summerville wasted a glorious chance after Firpo robbed Odoffin and the winger blasted his 25th-minute effort over, with Rutter being denied by Johansson moments later.
Ethan Ampadu's fantastic long pass put Bamford through one-on-one but he was unable to control it 10 minutes from half-time.
Archie Gray nearly capped off a sustained Leeds move but fired straight at Johansson before the stopper denied Gnonto's fiercely-struck effort just before the break to keep the deficit at just one.
Illan Meslier was sharp to control Glen Kamara's back pass and prevent an own goal early in the second half.
Leeds should have doubled their lead when Bamford struck the bar and Gnonto blasted a follow-up over from close range.
But Summerville gave Leeds a deserved second as he exchanged passes with Rutter and buried past an onrushing Johansson after 52 minutes.
Referee Andrew Madley pointed to the penalty spot when Peter Kioso brought down Summerville and the winger coolly converted on the hour mark.
Gnonto could have made it four but his low 78th-minute drive fizzed inches wide before a rare Millers foray forward saw Christ Tiehi blast over following a corner.
Johansson collected Rutter's header as full-time approached before Meslier denied Odoffin's header at the other end, with Rutter blasting inches wide in stoppage time.
Leeds' Daniel Farke:
"If I'm honest I haven't watched it back, someone mentioned it's a possible handball or the ball was deflected by Patrick's arm. For me it's not possible to judge it.
"You have to say if it was a handball then probably it should have been not allowed but if I'm really honest normally you say over the course of a season everything is a bit equal.
"I also think normally it's important during a game if it's a goal or not a goal but today it was not important because we created so many chances.
"I think even if this situation would have been disallowed, I think it would still be the same outcome and to win. I think in the end it was not a decisive moment, we were too dominant.
"Rotherham is a side which still fights until the end in order to be successful in this relegation battle, they never gave up, also in the last 10 minutes they had a few set pieces, so that we are happy with the 3-0."
Rotherham's Leam Richardson:
"I thought we started the game in the ascendancy and the goal hasn't cost the result but it's led to a large part of it with the handball, so you're disappointed for the players with the work ethic they've put in.
"But congratulations to Leeds, they're up there for a reason, you can see the quality of player and what happens if you give them chances.
"With the result, I think the 10 minutes in the second half [where Leeds scored twice] killed the game.
"Their first goal was disappointing with how it came about with the decision because I think it's an easy decision. But I'm very respectful of the officiating, they've got a million and one things to make.
"Andy has apologised but I didn't really appreciate the linesman who was on this side laughing and joking with Patrick after the game.
"I think that's unprofessional but that's not an excuse and we'll move on from that. That's their takeaway to get better themselves."
