Burnley 0 The Whites 1

Last updated : 05 February 2005 By Footymad Previewer
The Icelandic midfielder succeeded where so many others before him had failed by finding a way past Burnley's stubborn defence.

Einarsson was in the right place at the right time to meet a cross from Aaron Lennon and send a powerful header beyond keeper Brian Jensen, his first goal for Leeds.

Burnley were reduced to ten men just eight minutes later when Frank Sinclair, already booked, was sent off after kicking out at Einarsson in an unnecessary midfield skirmish.

Ironically Burnley produced their best football when down to ten men and they should have had an equaliser in the 80th minute when a foul by Clarke Carlisle on Ian Moore gave the home side a penalty.

Moore got to his feet take it, but his shot was well saved by Neil Sullivan.

Five minutes later Moore was desperately unfortunate to see a far-post header turned aside by the impressive Sullivan.

The Scotland keeper made it a hat-trick of important saves from Moore in injury time when a sharp chance fell to the Burnley striker, but his shot ended up in the waiting arms of Sullivan.

Burnley's biggest league crowd of the season witnessed a sorry first half in which neither side managed to get a grip, although the dangerous David Healy was by far the most dangerous player on show.

After seeing two efforts go just wide, Healy then had an effort disallowed for offside after he had broken clear of the Burnley defence.

On a pudding of a pitch Leeds continued to have the edge and it took a good save from Jensen to keep out a header from Brian Deane.

Deane might have had claim to the first goal had he shown more composure when a chance fell his way but the veteran striker shot was so off-target it bounced out for a throw-in.

But if the first hour had been poor in the extreme the fixture exploded into life after Einarsson had made the telling contribution.

Burnley were badly missing imagination and flare but that is probably no surprise considering their recently sold their two best players in skipper and top scorer Robbie Blake and young midfielder Richard Chaplow.

Leeds meanwhile looked like the team on the rise and they appear to have made a good loan signing in former England full-back Michael Gray from Blackburn.

They are now within shooting distance of a play-off place and this could prove to be a very important win.