By Rich Baggott
February 3 2008

A change of manager is usully classed as a new start for a football club - Gary McAllisters was appointed last week but Leeds fans can be relieved that although his first match officially' in charge, resulted in a loss on home soil - there was little evidence of any input from the new boss in the two days he's had with the team.

Leeds lined up with no less than six changes to the side that lost last week to Southend.  Richardson, Huntington, Kilkenny, Kandol, Sweeney and  Parker were replaced with three of the newcomers, Michalik, Sheehan and Elding and a return to the starting eleven for Heath, Howson and Johnson.

 The game started as enthusiasticaly as the crowd were to welcome McAllister back as he took his seat in the dug-out but neither team settled wel in the opening few minutes.  Around the ten minute mark, Tranmere were awarded a free kick, ten yards from the edge of the area and Lucas could do little but watch as the resulting shot bounced back from his bar.  It seemed to kick Leeds into life a bit more, but it wasn't until the 22nd minute that Leeds managed to get a shot on target.. New signing, Elding controlled the ball well in front of goal and set himself up for a fierce shot that unfortunately, was all to easy for the keeper to deal with.  Leeds continued to dominate, but for all the possession, they were unable to create in the final third.  Howson tried another from distance that again, was comfortably dealt with - but the quality of the passing and crosses around the Tranmere box was poor.

Prutton saw a cross come shot bounce of the crossbar but it ended goal-less at half-time.

 The second half carried on in the same vein as the first. Leeds passed well but created little and against the run of play, Tranmere broke and scored.  Normally a goal lifts the opponents to life, but for Leeds, it seemed to do the opposite as they took the form of a team destined for relegation, rather than a team fighting for the top.  The passing broke down and the team became fragmented and it wasn't long before Tranmere got their second.  From the time the first goal went in, it never looked like Leeds would score and the game played itself with short burts of enthusiasm from both sides, but nothing of note.

It is no secret now the task that McAllister has accepted and the new gaffer needs to learn quickly from what he saw to rescue the season for Leeds now.