Saturday 14 November 2009   Wakefield SFA   2   v    1   Leeds SFA

This was a game that Leeds should not only have won, but should have won comfortably.
If Sky Sports had been covering the game and had shown their usual graphics and statistics, then it would have revealed that Leeds had around 80% of both territory and possession, and were considerably ahead of the opposition in terms of corners, and shots on and off target.

So why did they lose ?

Unfortunately, it came down to a combination of bad luck, poor finishing, and a lack of creativity and quality of final ball.

Playing with the slope in blustery, cold conditions, it was all too easy for Leeds as they played through and around the Wakefield midfield. However, real chances were limited to long range efforts which were off target or straight at the keeper. Mark Simpson looked lively, and came closest when his stab at the ball came back off the woodwork.
He also indulged in his own form of crossbar challenge as two successive corners hit overhanging tree branches !

Leeds went ahead after 30 minutes, and the goal typified the scrappy nature of the game. Cameron Iverson's floated free kick bypassed the onrushing forwards but was deflected past the static keeper by the knee of a central defender.
1-0 and surely more to come in the second half.

However, the momentum changed, and Leeds inability to string any passing moves together, gave Wakefield the thought that they mightn't concede any more goals and that they might even score themselves,
This they did after 10 minutes of the second half when a free kick from outside the box was blocked by the wall, but was lashed home by a Wakefield player who was quickest to react . 1-1

Leeds were on the back foot and a couple of minutes later, Ashley Battensby had to dive to his right to make a fine scrambling save.
But with 15 minutes remaining, Wakefield took the lead as a free kick was floated into the box and as the defenders played statues, a Wakefield forward rose unchallenged and headed into the net.   1-2.

The siege then commenced on the Wakefield goal with crosses and even more long range shots fired in, and it appeared that many of the Leeds Boys were playing in blinkers.
It looked as though Leeds had equalised on two occasions, both from corners, but frustratingly, both headers were cleared off the line.

As the final whistle went, the Wakefield squad reacted as if they had won the Champions League ,which simply served to highlight the nature of their escape from a hammering.

The lesson for the Leeds Boys ?    When passing, we are the ones in the yellow and blue shirts !"