WE LOST TO LEEDS' GENIUS

Cowley’s salute to ‘brilliant’ Bielsa

- Chris Dunlavy

HUDDERSFIELD were pum-melled into submission at Elland Road as Leeds made a mockery of Danny Cowley’s pre-match pledge to come out swinging.

“Too many teams go to Elland Road with their dukes up and lean on the ropes,” said the Terriers boss on Thursday. “You’ve got to punch back.”

But softened up by Luke Ayling’s early stunner and dazed by Patrick Bamford’s close-range tap-in, Huddersfield could do little but hang on for dear life in a one-sided second-half.

Leeds’ fifth win on the spin – their second-best run of the season – lifted Marcelo Bielsa’s men to the Championship summit for the first time in six weeks. And with a seven-point cushion to third-placed Fulham, an admiring Cowley has no doubt they will stay there.

“Oh, for sure,” he said. “They’re the best team in the division. By miles and miles. I’ve had 13 years as a football manager. I’ve faced everyone from London Apsa and Barkingside to teams like Burnley, Arsenal and Everton. And that was right up there with anything I’ve seen in my career.