Leeds leave it late to see off Hull and climb into Championship top two

Crysencio Summerville and Dan James struck two late goals as Leeds beat Hull 3-1 at Elland Road to climb back into the Sky Bet Championship’s top two.

Summerville picked himself up after being bundled over in the box to convert from the spot in the 88th minute and James fired home from fully 40 yards with visiting goalkeeper Ryan Allsop stranded in the closing moments.

The win extended Leeds’ unbeaten home run to 20 matches this season, left them unbeaten in the league in 2024 and lifted them up to second above Leicester in the table.

WHAT A FINISH!!! pic.twitter.com/bH87pRjWr4

— Leeds United (@LUFC) April 1, 2024

Sam Byram had headed Leeds into an early lead before Fabio Carvalho struck a deserved equaliser for Hull, who will feel aggrieved to have left West Yorkshire empty-handed after another impressive away display.

After a minute’s applause before kick-off in tribute to Leeds fans Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight – both killed in Istanbul before a UEFA Cup game against Galatasaray in 2000 – the home side went straight on the offensive.

Archie Gray lashed an angled drive over the crossbar before Byram gave Leeds a ninth-minute lead.

Georginio Rutter’s jinking run from deep scattered Hull’s defence and when Crysencio Summerville’s shot was parried by Hull goalkeeper Ryan Allsop, Byram charged in to head home the rebound.

Hull enjoyed a fair share of possession without troubling home goalkeeper Illan Meslier before Patrick Bamford should have doubled Leeds’ advantage.

Summerville burst into the box and his low cross from the left was inch-perfect, but Bamford scooped the ball over the crossbar from close in.

Leeds were made to pay for that miss in the 34th minute. Hull midfielder Tyler Morton darted on to a loose ball and his cross from the left was buried by Liverpool loanee Carvalho.

Allsop made two point-blank saves to deny Rutter in quick succession just before the break, but Hull had looked the better side for long spells in the first half.

The Tigers threatened twice more early in the second period when Jaden Philogene and Abdulkadir Omur fired shots from the edge of the area inches wide.

The visitors maintained their level, which had seen them win at both Leicester and Southampton this season, as Leeds tried to build some momentum.

Gray went tumbling in the box under Jean Michael Seri’s challenge and home fans were furious as referee Josh Smith was unmoved.

Mateo Joseph, a 72nd-minute replacement for Bamford, struck a post following Junior Firpo’s cut-back and Hull centre-half Alfie Jones’ well-timed tackle denied Dan James a clear run on goal.

With Leeds appearing to be running out of time in their bid to climb back into an automatic promotion slot, Summerville came to their rescue.

The Dutch winger was brought down by Regan Slater and after arguing with Leeds substitute Joel Piroe over who would take the penalty, he made no mistake from the spot.

Hull poured forward in search of an equaliser and when the ball was cleared to James, the Wales winger saw Allsop off his goal-line and rifled a shot into an empty net.