Andy Clarke reporting

Post-match reaction | Opta Index

Alan Smith's personal grudge against Alpay cost Leeds United their joint leadership of the Premiership in a stormy affair at Elland Road.

The match was niggly throughout, but to be fair to the majority of the players on show, Smith was responsible for much of the ill-feeling.

The young striker had twice escaped punishment for kicking Villa defender Alpay when he tested referee Neale Barry's resolve for a third and last time. After Alpay had won a fair tackle, Smith elbowed him in the ribs in full view of the Scunthorpe official. The inevitable red card followed.

Smith's departure was a terrible shame for Leeds, who went into the match unable to call on the attacking talent of both Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell.

Prior to the fifth red card of his still brief career, the young England striker, who will have to curb his temper if he has genuine ambitions of making an impact at the World Cup next summer, had been a potent threat and had fired Leeds in front with his third goal of the season.

Alan Wright's short back pass found Robbie Keane and left Peter Schmeichel stranded on the left edge of his penalty area. Keane fed Smith, whose shot was helped into the net off the thigh of Steve Stone.

Within five minutes Smith had been denied further goals by Schmeichel, who reacted well to two headers from the young Leeds forward. However, in the 32nd minute came the sending off, which was to change the shape of the game.

Leeds quickly lost their cool. David Batty and Danny Mills - later booked for dissent - were fortunate to avoid cautions for hefty challenges, before Seth Johnson's reckless lunge at Stone cost him a booking and led to the free kick from which Villa equalised.

Paul Merson took the kick, clipping a delightful ball over the Leeds defence for Hassan Kachloul to volley smartly beyond Nigel Martyn.

With Smith out of the equation Villa, defending a six-match unbeaten run on this ground, were able to nullify the threat of their hosts.

However, it was Leeds who went closest to claiming all three points in the second half. First Schmeichel spilled Eirik Bakke's shot and had to recover quickly to put off Keane who was closing in, forcing the Irish striker to blaze wildly off target.

Then Ian Harte's wickedly dipping shot from 25 yards deceived the big Dane only to spin a yard wide of the post.

In the final minute Leeds so nearly snatched it, but Rio Ferdinand's downward header from a Harte free-kick cannoned to safety off a post.

As tempers remained frayed throughout the afternoon, Villa were fortunate not to be reduced to ten men when their own fiery young England prospect, Lee Hendrie, lashed out at Mills, pushing his international colleague in the face. Hendrie was shown only a yellow card, but was immediately withdrawn by Gregory.

Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte, Bakke, Batty, Johnson, Wilcox, Keane, Smith.
Subs Not Used: Robinson, Kelly, Dacourt, McPhail, Duberry.
Sent Off: Smith (32).
Booked: Johnson, Mills.

Aston Villa: Schmeichel, Stone, Alpay, Mellberg, Wright, Merson, Boateng, Hendrie (Taylor 50), Kachloul, Angel (Dublin 61), Vassell.
Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Staunton, Ginola.
Booked: Hendrie, Wright. 

Att: 40,159
Ref: N Barry (Scunthorpe).

Opta Index (Match Stats)

Leeds	Team	Aston Villa
52%	Possession %	48%
1	Goals	1
9	Shots On Target (inc Goals)	8
6	Shots Off Target	3
2	Blocked Shots	6
7	Corners	6
15	Fouls	16
2	Offsides	1
2	Yellow Cards	2
1	Red Cards	0