MURPHY GOAL SEALS VICTORY

MURPHY GOAL SEALS VICTORY

United debutant hits winner in injury time...

UNITED 2 (McCormack 18, Murphy 90+4), BRIGHTON 1 (Ulloa 13).

United: Kenny, Peltier, Pearce, Lees, Warnock (Drury 80), Green, Murphy, Tonge, McCormack, Varney (Smith 82), Hunt (Poleon 67). Subs. Ashdown, Drury, White, Brown, Norris.

Brighton: Kuszczak, Saltor, Greer, Crofts, Barnes (Buckley 64), Orlandi (LuaLua 82), Calderon, Ulloa, Upson, Lopez (Agustein 57), Bridcutt. Subs. Ankergren, El-Abd, March, Maksimenko.

Referee: J Adcock

Booked: Varney, Peltier, Green (Leeds), Saltor (Brighton).

Att: 33,432

United's 2013/14 Championship campaign began in front of a packed Elland Road, with manager Brian McDermott handing debuts to two of his summer signings when Noel Hunt and Luke Murphy were named in the line-up for the first time in a competitive fixture.

Brian McDermott was without the services of Rudy Austin and El-Hadji Diouf on Saturday afternoon due to the pair recieving their marching orders in the final fixture of last season, which also saw the Seasgulls as the visitors.

The atmosphere inside Elland Road was electric and the United crowd got behind Brian McDermott's men from the first whistle.

United started brightly but it was Paddy Kenny that was called into action in the opening five minutes. Andrea Orlandi found himself in space and struck from 20-yards out but Kenny was upto the challenge and saved well.

Moments later United went on the attack and it took good defending and two separate blocks from the away side to prevent Ross McCormack and Murphy having efforts on goal.

During the opening 10 minutes United looked the side more in control but on 13 minutes the away side took the lead. Good build-up play from Brighton full-back Bruno Saltor led to Leonardo Ulloa having the ball in United's penalty area, the striker held off Lee Peltier and stuck to beat Kenny to give the away side the advantage.

United responded well and were only trailing in the game for five minutes. Great work by Michael Tonge in a wide area saw him cross for McCormack in the penalty area. The striker showed great composure to create space and made no mistake in front of goal to score United's first goal of the new Championship season.

After McCormack's equaliser United took control of the game and nearly took the lead when Murphy broke and shot from outside the penalty area but the midfielder's strike skimmed the bar as it went over.

Moments later Murphy once again tried his luck from distance after a well worked corner but his effort went just wide.

United looked dangerous with every attack and with 10 minutes of the first half remaining Hunt had an attempt on Tomasz Kuszcak's goal after great work from Luke Varney, but the striker saw his effort saved.

Further great play from United involving Paul Green, Hunt and McCormack led to Varney being on the ball in Brighton's area but good defending from the away side twarted the striker. This proved to be the final meaningful action in front of goal as the sides went in level at half time.

United started the second half on the front foot and good play from both full-backs almost brought goal scoring opportunities.

On 55 minutes United counter-attacked at pace with Murphy at the heart of the move, he fed Varney the ball but the striker's shot went just wide after he ran at the Brighton defence.

Just after the hour mark Kenny was called into action and performed a brilliant double save to prevent first Andrew Crofts and then Inigo Calderon. Moments later Dominic Poleon was introduced to proceedings in place of Hunt.

It didn't take the United substitute long to influence the game and Poleon nearly put the home side ahead after a great turn in the box but he saw his shot go just wide of the mark.

Moments later Poleon almost had another chance in front of goal but the striker could not connect with McCormack's cross.

With eight minutes of the game remaining United's first summer signing took to the field when Matt Smith replaced Varney up front.

Following the arrival of Smith United continued to dominate proceedings. With only minutes remaining of the full 90 United were close to taking the lead when Poleon had the ball in space but his shot was saved well by the Brighton keeper who could only cushion the ball into Green's path but the midfielder's effort went over the bar.

The final minutes were frantic and Kenny made the save of the afternoon when, from point blank range, he saved from Will Buckley.

In the dying minutes of injury time United debutant Murphy won the game for the home side as he broke from midfield and latched onto a bouncing ball in the Brighton area. The midfielder was cool under pressure and saw his effort hit the inside of the post and the back of the net.

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