Leeds buy some breathing space

PREMIERSHIP - BOLTON 0 LEEDS 3: Rarely has a pardon been delivered with such a flourish. Terry Venables' job is safe for the moment because his Leeds United team turned a supposed ordeal into a relaxed demonstration of talent.

As if three goals, including a strike from Robbie Fowler, were not enough during only the club's second win in 12 Premiership matches, Paul Robinson also saved a penalty at a delicate moment.

The strengths of Leeds United's season are so thoroughly concealed that they are invisible to those whose eyes are filled with visions of ruin and relegation.

The league table is a healthier and less apocalyptic sight, showing that the team does fairly well so long as it steers clear of Elland Road. Before this match, their away record was better than Manchester United's.

Considering that Bolton had only had one Premiership win at the Reebok all season, Venables had no cause to while away the bus trip by setting down the finer points of his severance terms on the back of an envelope.

In practice, the side's form has been too poor for a manager to be capable of insouciance, but no hypnotherapist could have been so effective at instilling positive feelings as Bolton were.

Leeds also practised self-help. A fluid system, with Danny Mills enjoying scope to overlap Gary Kelly, was a declaration that Leeds will not be trying to creep to security.

No one, though, could have guessed that the England right back would storm through with finesse. In the 12th minute, Mills took a return pass from Harry Kewell and swept a left-footer high into the net from 25 yards.

The last time a person in Leeds colours was seen heading for Venables it was an irate fan who had to be grabbed by stewards at last week's UEFA Cup loss to Malaga.

Here, the scorer ran straight for the manager with arm raised in salute. A single gesture will not wipe away all talk of disaffection at Elland Road, but Mills typified the attitude of a team who acted as if a pitch was a pleasure garden once more.

Bolton were stolid but always in danger of being upstaged. Furthermore, Sam Allardyce's team were the men stalked by haplessness.

Ian Harte's right-footed, inswinging cross, after 17 minutes, was discomfiting and neither the defence nor the goalkeeper touched it until it had bounced off the post. Harry Kewell then applied a header and although Jussi Jaaskelainen blocked, Robbie Fowler rolled in the rebound.

The forward had not scored since March 23rd and this was his first start of the season following a hip operation.

Leeds' knees might have buckled under the weight of good omens that that they were carrying. Even an unkind decision by the officials proved to be a subtle means of raising morale further.

In the 24th minute, Harte went into a sliding challenge and, with an instinct for self-preservation, put a hand to the ball as Youri Djorkaeff tried to charge through him. The linesman raised his flag and Graham Poll, after consultation, awarded the penalty. Djorkaeff kept it low, but Paul Robinson sprang to his right and helped the effort onto a post.

Leeds could not have asked for any more coaxing than this game provided and they attacked with the free movement of men who have been unshackled, for a while at least, from their apprehensions.

Their clever and enthusiastic movement made Bolton appear ponderous. They had expected to share a tense night with Leeds, but the stress was theirs alone.

Despite the inadequacy of so many recent displays, Leeds have a higher calibre of footballer and although Bolton overcame that factor in a logic-defying win at Elland Road, they could not repeat the uncanny trick. Leeds were quick to break, in a hurry, to show what they could do.

There is an easy economy to excellence and Kewell tamed one awkward pass with such ease that Ivan Campo was all but fated to commit a foul and collect a booking. Despite that, the Bolton team has determination evenly distributed throughout and they are geared for a tough campaign.

They kept coming at Leeds and when Djorkaeff contrived to hit a good shot from an awkwardly dropping ball, it struck Mills and broke to Stig Tofting. The Dane's beefy drive then caught the top of the crossbar as it went behind.

Still Bolton hurled themselves onwards, perhaps recalling Leeds' penchant for sabotaging themselves late in a game.

The only detonation, however, rang painfully in their ears.

With 14 minutes remaining, Jason Wilcox cut in from the left and blasted a right-footed shot beyond Jaaskelainen from 20 yards. It was his first Premiership goal for two-and-a-half years.

Like Mills he had been expert with his wrong foot, and nothing was beyond Leeds last night.

BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, N'Gotty (Whitlow 78), Bergsson, Barness, Campo, Charlton, Frandsen, Okocha (Walters 81), Tofting (Farrelly 79), Pedersen, Djorkaeff. Subs not used: Poole, Smith. Booked: Campo.

LEEDS: Robinson, Kelly, Woodgate, Lucic, Harte, Mills, Bakke, Okon, Wilcox, Kewell, Fowler (Seth Johnson 80). Subs not used: Martyn, Bowyer, Duberry, Milner. Booked: Okon, Harte, Mills. Goals: Mills 12, Fowler 16, Wilcox 75.

Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).