Leeds United 6 Stoke City 0 – HT 5-0
J. Piroe (6′, 8′, 20′, 41′)
J. Firpo (26′)
W. Gnonto (59′)
Assists –
M. Solomon (6′, 59′),
J. Bogle (8′)
Venue: Elland Road Attendance: 36,644
Were back where we belong and thankfully via promotion and not the dreaded play-offs.
Joel Piroe scored a hat-trick in the opening 20 minutes as Leeds United tore apart Stoke City on a day when their promotion back to the Premier League was confirmed.
The Whites‘ place in the topflight next season was secured later on Monday when Burnley beat third-placed Sheffield United, a win which also sent the Clarets up.
The hosts made an electric start at a buoyant Elland Road as Piroe scored twice in the first eight minutes after poor defensive play from the visitors.
Things went from bad to worse for the Potters when the Dutchman, the league’s top scorer, completed his treble from close range, before Junior Firpo bundled in a fourth and Piroe made it 5-0 at half-time.
The pace predictably dropped off after the interval, but Willy Gnonto headed in the sixth from Manor Solomon’s whipped cross from the left.
Stoke arrived at Elland Road unbeaten in five but this damaging defeat means they could yet get dragged back into relegation trouble.
Former Swansea man Piroe had failed to score in his nine previous games but ended his near three-month drought inside six minutes with a composed finish after Stoke coughed up possession 20 yards from their own goal.
The Potters were then caught out at the back again just two minutes later as Jayden Bogle pinched the ball and teed up Piroe for his second.
Two became three for Piroe and the rampant hosts when he hammered in at an angle from a rebound and Firpo got his fourth of the season from close in.
Piroe made it 5-0 before the break with another scrappy effort as Stoke totally fell apart.
Mark Robins made three changes at the break to try and stem the tide, and his men at least managed to keep the score down in the second half.
The nature of the sixth goal summed up Stoke’s miserable day. They cleared an initial corner in but then got no pressure on the ball as Solomon was allowed to cut in on his right foot and hit a shot towards the back post that an unmarked Gnonto was able to head in from close in.
Leeds brought on 16-year-old Harry Gray, brother of Tottenham’s Archie and great-nephew of Leeds legend Eddie, for his debut in the final few moments.
What a performance and then the great news in the evening when Burnley victory over Sheffield United allowed us to go up.
It will be great go up as champions, but Burnley will push us all the way, the only team to beat us at Fortress Elland Road.
Now we need to buck the trend of the last two seasons when the promoted sides have come back down the following season.
Even we know we scored 6 goals today and have a huge goal difference which is an extra point at this later stage of the season, we need a new striker who scores goals regularly.
Marching on Together.
League position 1st after 44 games – Promoted!!
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