Leeds fell even further behind in the promotion race.

We have to accept that even if Uncle Ken is successful in getting the fifteen points back, even that is no assurance of promotion on this form.

And this performance against a Crewe side with just two wins in eighteen.

Hardly one of the "in form" sides United have so painfully struggled against in recent weeks.

Other than a glut of chances which were created early doors first half, is there anything worth saying about the opening 45 minutes?

Two minutes after the break and it is a case of "here we go again!" - Nicky Maynard opened for Alex and in all honesty, Bill Maynard (the Gaffer or Claude Greengrass to our younger readers) would fancy his chances scoring against Leeds at Elland Road at the moment.

Yes we were missing Beckford, our one-man team so our critics speak - but the options in depth are grim. Flo, surely in the first throes of retirement, Elding - as yet unproven at this level and our eventual saviour Kandol - his first goal in nineteen matches.

Before Tres steered his 86th minute leveller, via his head past Ben Williams, Gary Roberts had missed a sitter to strike a victory for Crewe.

It seems that we must hope Judge John Deed or some equally liberial and fair-minded lawman will come to our rescue in the High Court, as our promotion hopes are well and truely down-the-pan on these recent performances.

I don't blame Macca, the timing of Wise's departure was atrocious - it's ok Papa Smurf pointing to the compo we got for Dennis (and the clearly even more influential Gus Poyet), but money clearly is not everything - stablity is, Macca clearly has his own philosophy on football -but time to changes in something we have not got - the habit of winning must come first.

Photo: Action Images

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