In a Yorkshire derby where the stakes couldn’t be much higher for two sides at opposite ends of the table, it was relegation-threatened Sheffield Wednesday who came closest to opening the scoring early on against Leeds.
Coming from a dangerous corner routine, Djeidi Gassama met Barry Bannan’s cross to test Illan Meslier for the first time from close range, with the goalkeeper diverting the effort just inches wide of his goal.
From there, the Owls only continued to frustrate a Leeds side looking to maintain their promotion push, but could not take advantage.
And eventually, they were made to pay the price as Leeds showed their quality, opening the scoring on the brink of HT to undo all of Sheffield Wednesday’s hard work.
Wheeling away in celebration for the seventh time in 10 Championship games was Bamford, who had the easiest of tasks to tap home on the end of Junior Firpo’s inch-perfect cross at the back post.
With their record of zero defeats when leading at HT in the Championship this season to keep intact, Daniel Farke’s side picked up where they left off at the end of the first period and soon doubled their lead in ruthless fashion.
This time, it was Gnonto who was left with the simple task after breaking in behind. The winger had all the time in the world after Georginio Rutter’s pass, before firing beyond James Beadle for his sixth goal in his last seven away games in the 58th minute.
Handed a mountain to climb, Sheffield Wednesday would have seen a comfortable lead turn into a rout just moments after Gnonto’s strike, but for Beadle’s strong palm to deny Crysencio Summerville from close range.
Meslier’s fumble courtesy of Gassama’s strike very nearly gave the hosts a glimmer of hope, but ultimately, Leeds cruised to three points and at least momentarily above Ipswich Town and two points behind Championship leaders Leicester City.
Sheffield Wednesday, meanwhile, remain inside the relegation zone and could be three points adrift of safety by the end of the weekend’s action.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United)
