Leeds United 1 - 1 Cardiff City:: O’Dea’s dizzy turn blamed for gifting goal to Cardiff

Leeds defender Darren O’Dea was suffering from dizziness when his error gifted Cardiff a goal in yesterday’s 1-1 npower Championship draw, according to manager Simon Grayson.

The Republic of Ireland international had a clear start in a foot race with City striker Joe Mason as he headed towards his own goal in the 17th minute, but hesitated, failed to clear and was pick-pocketed by the lively striker, who promptly scored his third goal in as many games.

Grayson felt the Celtic loanee was shoved in the back by Mason in the build-up to the goal, but also confirmed his player, who had taken a head knock against Birmingham on Wednesday, had suffered another blow to the head and was struggling to find his bearings.

He was substituted after 30 minutes and Leeds went on to level through Robert Snodgrass, although they would have won were it not for a fine performance from City keeper David Marshall.

“He [O’Dea] got a knock on the head in the last five minutes against Birmingham, suffered a bit of dizziness, declared himself fit yesterday after training, got a bang on it in the first part of the first half,” Grayson said. “He had a lack of vision down one side and a bit of blurriness as well, so he’s got concussion. I think it probably did [affect him leading up to the goal]. He got a little nudge, he knows he maybe should have cleared it and that was something that maybe contributed to it.”