PETER REID still remembers the Manchester derby day when Steve Bruce’s elbow went into his ribs, and he will not forget this day either, when Bruce and his team kicked him while he was down. A contentious penalty, missed by David Dunn, controversially re-taken and converted by Robbie Savage, a sending off for Jose Roque Junior and a second goal by Mikael Forssell reduced the atmosphere in Elland Road to that of a wake. Their team is not dead yet but when the lid is put on the week just gone Leeds will need major resuscitation.

The spirit that they lacked at Leicester last Monday, when they were overrun 4-0, had certainly returned, but the ability to put a side to the sword was almost pitifully missing. Birmingham are not easily wounded — only Fulham have put goals past them this season — but Leeds, with all their possession, ought to have drawn blood. How they patch up their own cuts now might decide their fate for this season.

The omens had been good. Never before had they lost a match that Dermot Gallagher had refereed. But the Banbury official became the focus of all their frustration in the 76th minute. Their irritation had been building. No matter what they tried, they could not break through. Suddenly a clever back heel by Christophe Dugarry, an inspiring presence on his return from minor knee surgery, sent Forssell through.

Roque Junior faced a dilemma. Already booked, he needed to be careful, but he needed also to do something. As Forssell reached the penalty area, the Brazilian defender leaned on his shoulder. Forssell began to tumble and Roque Junior caught his trailing leg with his arm and Gallagher was compelled to act, reaching for a second yellow card for Roque Junior and pointing to the spot. The Leeds players felt hard done by. Dunn stepped up, but Paul Robinson dived to his left and brilliantly turned the ball away. His celebrations were cut short because, after consulting with the assistant referee, Gallagher ordered a re-take. Robinson had left his line before Dunn had kicked the ball.

This time Savage took hold of it, placed it on the spot and sent it in the opposite corner. Robinson guessed right again but this time he was unable to keep the ball out. Leeds could barely believe that they were behind.

They were counted out seven minutes later. Dugarry played the ball from the right into Dunn, whose quick pass facilitated Forssell’s run behind the defence and the Finnish international finished well, slotting his shot beneath Robinson’s body. The hush that descended was broken finally by chants of derision at the referee but Reid, afterwards, was more careful.

“I’m not going to criticise the referee, whose job is difficult enough,” he said. “But if I said what I thought I would be in trouble. What I will say is that the players are very disappointed with both goals, but at least the performance was much better than the one against Leicester.”

He made only two changes after that debacle, bringing in Ian Harte for Didier Domi and Salomon Olembe for Seth Johnson, but the real change was in attitude. The Birmingham midfield struggled to gain a foothold in the Elland Road turf and Jermaine Pennant and Lamine Sakho made them pay on the flanks with Jody Morris and Olembe also supplying the front two of Mark Viduka and Alan Smith to an extent that left Birmingham beleaguered.

It seemed that Leeds were building to a crescendo. Maik Taylor punched clear another free kick from Harte, with Smith poised to pounce, then Viduka missed a header at the back post before Smith, after combining well with Viduka, scuffed the ball straight towards Taylor.

Then Birmingham landed their bolt from the blue. And another. Their resilience was rewarded, and Leeds were on the ropes again.

Bruce was delighted with Forssell, on loan from Chelsea. He said: “He got us the penalty and then the second goal with the best bit of quality in the game. There was a lack of that before then as it was two teams committed to the cause.”

Leeds Robinson, Kelly, Camara, Roque Junior, Harte, Pennant, Morris, Olembe, Sakho (Lennon 81), Viduka, Smith.

Subs Not Used: Carson, Batty, Radebe, Chapuis.

Sent Off: Roque Junior (77).

Booked: Roque Junior, Olembe, Sakho, Camara.

Birmingham Taylor, Johnson, Upson, Cunningham, Clapham, Dunn (Morrison 90), Savage, Clemence, Lazaridis, Forssell (Tebily 88), Dugarry (Cisse 85).

Subs Not Used: John, Bennett.

Booked: Savage, Dugarry.

Goals: Savage 79 pen, Forssell 84.

Att: 34,305

Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).

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