Danny Mills chalked up his first goal of the season and Robbie Fowler marked his first start of the campaign by finding the target to help Leeds to a 3-0 success over Bolton.
Leeds players 'make an old man very happy'
While it might not yet be a new dawn for Leeds manager Terry Venables, the horizon certainly looks brighter.
After 12 defeats in 24 games in all competitions since he took charge, Venables knew the importance of a victory at The Reebok Stadium.
Jason Wilcox made sure of that with a third goal while goalkeeper Paul Robinson weighed in with a superb penalty save.
Fowler, on the mend after a hip operation, partnered Harry Kewell up front. The Australian had also been sidelined with a virus.
It was new-look front line in this crucial game with Alan Smith out through suspension and Mark Viduka as well as Michael Bridges absent through injury.
Midfielder Lee Bowyer had to settle for a place on the bench with Leeds anxious to improve on a recent dreadful run.
They went into this match having won only one league game in 11 since defeating Manchester United in September.
Leeds got off to a flier and made the breakthrough in the ninth minute in their first attack with a wonderful strike from Mills.
He played a neat one-two with Kewell before rattling in an unstoppable shot beyond goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen from 20 yards.
It was his just the tonic Venables needed with the game very much in its infancy.
Leeds added a second in the 14th minute after some dreadful defending from Bolton following a cross from Ian Harte.
Both N'Gotty and Ivan Campo failed to attack the ball, believing it was going out of play.
It came back off the post, however, to Kewell. He headed across the face of the area and Fowler had the easiest of tasks in turning it in.
Bolton squandered a chance of getting back in the game after 25 minutes when they missed a penalty.
Referee Graham Poll awarded the spot-kick after Harte appeared to brush the ball with his arm after a tussle with Djorkaeff.
Leeds protested vigorously and Harte was booked but Robinson came to their rescue.
He dived to his right to turn Djorkaeff's penalty onto the post and to safety.
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Eirik Bakke pulls back Per Frandsen
(LaurenceGriffiths/GettyImages) |
Leeds were knocking the ball about with a bit of authority thanks to that two-goal cushion.
Bolton were finding it frustrating and they were unable to string more than two passes together.
Frandsen, however, forced Robinson into a fingertip save from 25 yards in the 40th minute with a clever lob.
Leeds retaliated and Gary Kelly got away from N'Gotty only to fire wide of the post.
Then Fowler failed to find the target with a close-range header after a good delivery from Bakke.
Despite being two goals behind Bolton manager Sam Allardyce decided to keep the same side going into the second half.
He was looking for his team to get an early goal that would get them back in the match.
But the collective body language from Bolton gave all the indications of a side in trouble and badly needing a victory.
Kelly almost added a third for Leeds in the 48th minute, whipping in a shot that went narrowly wide of the post.
Simon Charlton then got clear down the left for Bolton and delivered a good cross but there were no takers.
Leeds kept up the pressure and Harte rattled in a 20-yard free kick that Bolton keeper Jaaskelainen only cleared at the second attempt.
Campo then hauled back Kewell as he homed in on goal and picked up a yellow card for his challenge.
Bolton were playing with a bit of spirit but they were rapidly running out of time.
Tofting almost pulled a goal back in the 64th minute when his 25-yard volley went just inches over the top.
Then Charlton floated in a free-kick from distance but Gudni Bergsson failed to get a vital touch.
Former Blackburn winger Wilcox added a third for Leeds in the 74th minute after Anthony Barness had carelessly lost possession.
Wilcox raced on and delivered a thunderous drive beyond Jaaskelainen, prompting dozens of Bolton supporters to head for the exit doors.
While Leeds got the victory they craved, Bolton remain rooted in the relegation zone and face a bleak Christmas.
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Venables at the Reebok
(LGriffiths/GettyImages) |
Leeds boss Terry Venables admitted his players 'have made an old man very happy' after the game but acknowledged the significance of Paul Robinson's penalty save from Youri Djorkaeff with the score at 2-0.
He said: 'The little bit of luck helped. It's been difficult but the players have been really good. The spirits have kept going after the bad result and the players have kept their end up when it's been difficult. They haven't ducked things.
'I felt we've deserved better at times. You think, ''Is it going to turn round''. It's tough - not a lot of fun.
'But we're professionals. We've had one good result today - but it's a big, big result.
'I thought we looked good on the break and could have scored more goals.
The former England coach continued: 'We all have problems with injuries but the strange injuries that have been coming up have made it hard.
'We're getting some players back now and that will give us a squad to choose from again and competition for places, where everyone wants to play.
'This has been a good performance and now we want to take it on. There's nothing better than winning and to win well - as we have tonight - is sweet.'
Leeds defender Jonathan Woodgate blamed the Elland Road players for their disappointing season after tonight's morale-boosting win at Leeds.
Woodgate said: 'It's not the manager's fault - we're all behind him. He's great and we all appreciate what he's doing - it's the players' fault. We needed that win big-time.
'It's a bad position to be in and we've got to take maximum points from our next five games.
'We felt no pressure before the game. It's just a case of keeping on playing well and it will come.'
Danny Mills added: 'We've got three points - but it's only three points and we've got to build on it.
'We've got Southampton on Saturday and we need three points then. We've got to keep going.'
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce was left cursing his luck after his side failed
to win for the sixth successive time at home.
He said: 'Mills has hit one with his left foot from 20 yards, which he
doesn't normally do, and Wilcox hits one from 25 yards, which he doesn't
normally do.
'In between that we decide to give a bizarre second goal away - which
wasoffside - and miss a penalty. Is it any reason why we have lost?
'The rest of the game there was nothing between the two sides whatsoever.
They came out on top because of the quality of their finishing.
'If we had scored that penalty it would have taken us back to 2-1 and we might
have made them crack in the second half. We didn't deserve to lose 3-0.'
- REPORTS - Premiership
