BBC journalist stunned by ‘crazy’ Crysencio Summerville action with Leeds United win on the line vs Southampton
Crysencio Summerville almost surrendering the three points with a Leeds United own-goal against Southampton to leave BBC reporter Adam Pope “stunned”.
With the Whites looking to close out the crucial 1-0 win at Elland Road on Saturday (25 February), in Javi Gracia’s first game in charge, the young winger skewed a clearance towards his own goal as the clock ticked towards 90 minutes.
Illan Meslier was forced to head the ball away for a corner and Leeds United survived to take all three points on the strength of Junior Firpo’s 77th-minute strike, with Pope calling it a “crazy” incident.
Speaking on BBC Sport’s Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet podcast on Monday (27 February, 11min 15sec) while discussing game-management Elland Road BBC man Jonny Buchan said of holding onto the lead: “There wasn’t that awful moment you always get was there?”
But Simon Rix suggested: “What about when Summerville tried to score an own goal?”
And Pope reacted: “What went on?! I was almost as stunned by that as that quick [James] Ward-Prowse shot.
“That was crazy.”
Standard Leeds
Even in a game against the league’s bottom side, who had been pretty comprehensively outplayed throughout the match, the Whites like to inject a bit of added tension to proceedings.
Summerville was brought on just after the hour when Willy Gnonto was surprisingly substituted and had an eventful half-hour in the dramatic victory.
It was his good work down by the corner flag that found Jack Harrison in the build up to the only goal, and he could have made the game safe in added time if he had done the same when the pair were through only to drag his shot wide instead.
In between time he had Pope on the edge of his seat as he almost put it into his own net, as part of an all-action display that can’t have failed to catch Gracia’s eye one way or another.
He may be in line to start the FA Cup trip to Fulham on Tuesday evening (28 February) with the manager likely to rotate his squad somewhat, even if he surely isn’t going to field a fully-changed second-choice XI.
Given Harrison’s recent struggles for form Summerville is probably in line to come back into the starting line up in the Premier League before too long, but if he can keep the threat to the opposition’s goal it would be preferable for the fanbase.
In other Leeds United news, Paul Merson has shared an off-camera comment his Sky Sports colleague made to him repeatedly about the Whites.
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