Leeds 3  Gateshead & Felling 0 Saturday 10th October

 
Another bright and breezy Saturday morning in Cross Gates saw Leeds u12's playing Gateshead & Felling ( from South Newcastle ).  
The game started a bit scrappy but after about 10 minutes a good shot on target by Gateshead forced Leeds keeper Lewis Wray into a smart diving save. The Leeds defence of Andy Slinger, Lawrence Wilson, Dan Sefton and Jacob Archer, along with central midfielders George Hamnett and Lee Rowley snuffed out further Gateshead chances and started to drive Leeds forward, then on 15 minutes the ball broke to Scott Townend in midfield who's lofted forward pass was headed out to the left wing by Jamie Tonkinson to Joe Firth, Joe used his great skill to beat a defender then played a fantastic pass back into Jamie down the left channel, before Jamie shot left footed passed the keeper on his near post. 1-0 to Leeds. 5 minutes later Scott Townend found himself in a good position on the right of the penalty area and fired a great low diagonal cross towards the back post were Jamie Tonkinson met it and lobbed the keeper to make it 2-0 to Leeds. The last 10 minutes of the 1st half was fairly even but no more goals meant Leeds went into the break 2-0 up.
At half time Leeds brought on Will Mitchell to play up front with Jamie, Kristain Smith making way, also Ross McKenna replaced Lewis Wray in goal.
After a lively start to the 2nd half by Leeds and a period of pressure on the Gateshead goal, Leeds' Scott Townend again got into a good crossing position on the right wing on 40 minutes, and sent over a superb floated cross into the centre of the penalty area where Will Mitchell out jumped the Gateshead defence and headed over the keeper, 3-0 to Leeds. Further Leeds subs were introduced, Ross Dickinson replacing Lee Rowley in centre midfield and Oscar Bailey replacing Joe Firth on the left wing, and it was Oscar who played a great pass into Jamie Tonkinson on 50 minutes, Jamie firing a powerful shot over the keeper into the top corner surely for 4-0 and his hatrick....but only to be cruely denied by a dubious offside flag...unlucky Jamie, you deserved the hatrick !!
A couple of late half-chances fell to Oscar Bailey on his left foot but were fired just wide on both occasions, unlucky as Oscar's hard working performance deserved a goal.
And so the game ended 3-0 to Leeds, a great performance and great teamwork by all the Leeds lads which was just reward for all their hard work.