Masinga ends Leeds' famine

Leeds United 4

Queen's Park Rangers 0

If nothing else, Leeds United's purchase of Tony Yeboah has got them among the goals again. Their new £3.4m signing managed just six minutes as a substitute last night but by then a lightweight Queen's Park Rangers had been thoroughly beaten.

Two goals from Phil Masinga, who now has five in his last two matches, and others from David White and Brian Deane, ended a famine for Leeds who have slipped away from the Uefa Cup places since the autumn. The result, meanwhile, leaves Rangers stuck in the relegation mire.

Yeboah, who described himself as 80 per cent fit after signing from Eintracht Frankfurt on Monday, began the night on the bench, allowing Howard Wilkinson to start with the same attack - Masinga and Brian Deane - that finished off Walsall in the FA Cup. That gave Leeds a considerable height advantage over a less than massive QPR back four and it was not a surprise when it was a header that gave the home team the lead after 30 minutes.

Nigel Worthington hit an inswinging corner from the right and Masinga, who had got an extra-time hat-trick in eight minutes against Walsall, struck from a range of six yards.

That was Leeds' first home goal in the League since 10 December, but having waited so long the next arrived in a manner of London buses, two together. Gary McAllister passed to Gary Speed whose back flick confounded the QPR defence and allowed White to sidefoot in.

Rangers had managed just one attack of any consequence in the first half, a header from Steve Hodge that at least forced John Lukic to make a save, but their play immediately after the interval offered them some hope.

First Michael Meaker cut in from the left and hit a shot that forced Lukic to scurry across his line then Les Ferdinand robbed David Wetherall and might have been rewarded with a goal had he pulled the ball back for Kevin Gallen instead of shooting from a narrow angle.

Leeds, meanwhile, slumped into a sort of stupor that suggested they thought their work had been done and it required a run down the left by Worthington after 62 minutes to stir them back to life. His cross was met at the near post by Deane but the ball finished in the side netting.

However, two minutes later they made it 3-0, when Masinga converted from close range after Gary Speed had hit a post.

Leeds United (4-4-2): Lukic; Kelly, Wetherall, Pemberton, Worthington; White, Palmer, McAllister, Speed; Masinga (Yeboah, 84) Deane. Substitutes not used: Radebe, Beeney (gk)

QPR (4-4-2): Roberts; Bardsley, Yates, Maddix, Brevitt; Impey, Hodge (Sinclair, h-t), Holloway, Meaker; Ferdinand, Gallen (McCarthy, 69 min). Substitute not used: Dykstra (gk).

Referee: K Morton (Bury St Edmunds).