Coventry City 0 Leeds United 2: Star's solo, player gift and big Illan Meslier moments in huge Whites change
Leeds had the chance to move five points clear in top spot with victory at Wednesday night’s hosts Coventry.
Leeds United have created new daylight at the top of the Championship through Wednesday night's 2-0 victory at Coventry City which has sent Daniel Farke's Whites five points clear in pole position.
Joel Piroe's 13th goal of the season after a brilliant Manor Solomon assist put the Whites 1-0 up after just 17 minutes before Jayden Bogle cashed in on a huge error from Sky Blues keeper Oliver Dovin to double his side's lead.
Bogle netted after a superb solo run from the halfway line to the Coventry box and then took full advantage from a Dovin gift as the Sky Blues keeper spilled the ball back into his path.
Leeds then had a host of chances to rack up another big score but 2-0 proved enough to establish the big change of taking Leeds five points clear of both second-placed Burnley and third-placed Sheffield United.
The Blades, though. now have a game in hand which will present itself through Saturday afternoon's hosting of Portsmouth after Leeds host Millwall in the FA Cup fourth round in a Saturday lunchtime kick-off.
Four days on from the brilliant 7-0 blitz of Cardiff City, Farke made one change to his side as Ilia Gruev replaced Joe Rothwell to partner Ao Tanaka in centre midfield.
Rothwell dropped to the bench where Pascal Struijk stayed after bagging his first minutes since returning from a hamstring injury as a late second half substitute in Saturday's trouncing of the Bluebirds.
Leeds lined up at Coventry knowing that a victory would send them five points clear at the top of the pile ahead of Sheffield United hosting Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon.
A win was also needed to establish a five-point buffer in the automatic promotion spots after Burnley moved within two points through Tuesday night's 1-0 win at home to Oxford United.
Leeds began brightly and the Whites went ahead in the 17th minute through Piroe who was brilliantly played in by Solomon after Coventry lost possession, the Dutchman applying a clinical finish after making his way into the box.
Things then got even better for Leeds just nine minutes later as Bogle put Farke's side 2-0 up through a fine solo with a large helping hand from Sky Blues keeper.
Bogle began a brilliant run towards goal from near the halfway line but looked to have put too much on his touch as he got into the box and the ball trickled towards the Sky Blues keeper.
Dovin, though, spilled the ball in Bogle's path and the right back took full advantage by setting himself up and poking home to double the Whites advantage with just 26 minutes on the clock.
Leeds squandered several other chances to add to their tally but entered the half-time interval in full control at 2-0 up.
The Whites quickly began dominating again after the break although Coventry were denied by a fantastic save by Illan Meslier which kept out an Ellis Simms header as the Sky Blues looked for a way back into the game.
At the other end, a strong save from Sky Blues stopper Dovin then denied Solomon as Farke’s Whites continued to create a raft of chances.
Leeds were cruising to victory but one more big save from Meslier kept the Whites clean sheet, the Frenchman tipping a header on to the crossbar in the closing stages.
Farke’s Whites then looked to have bagged a third goal right at the death as Junior Firpo’s curler crossed the line with Willy Gnonto in close attendance but the effort was bizarrely chalked off after Coventry protests and a very late flag.
Leeds United v Coventry City: Meslier; Bogle, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Tanaka (Struijk 90); James (Gnonto 86), Solomon (Ramazani 78), Aaronson (Guilavogui 90), Piroe (Joseph 86). Subs: Darlow, Byram, Wober, Rothwell.