Leeds 1 - Sheffield 4  -- 8th November

The first game at Rodillian did not go to plan as Leeds slipped to a surprise defeat against Sheffield. A boggy pitch did Leeds no favours at all as the fluent football of previous weeks all but disappeared in the mud.  Sheffield on the other hand revelled in the conditions with there more direct physical approach constantly putting Leeds on the back foot and forcing goalkeeper Brandon Linley off his line on numerous occasions to snuff out the danger.  Leeds were reduced to long range efforts in the first half, two shots on target by Danny Hebditch and one by Tom Clarkson were the nearest Leeds came to scoring.  At the other end Sheffield had the ball in the net twice, both goals the result of sloppy marking by Leeds to give Sheffield a 2 - 0 advantage at the break. 

Leeds came out for the second half with more purpose.  Half time sub Tom Lyman seemed to give Leeds a lift and had a shot on target in the first minute after good work from Jack Bagnall but with the pitch cutting up the game degenerated into trench warfare, with Sheffield's tactic of the long ball over the top of the Leeds defence working to more effect than Leeds who were still trying to play football.  Sheffield would have gone 3 up if it had not been for a brilliant goal line clearance by Danny Meston.  Two minutes later it was 3 although the ref made a mistake waving play on when the Sheffield striker was clearly 2 yards offside.  The Leeds spectators already suffering headaches from the noise of the M62 directly behind us needed something inspirational to take out of a depressing morning's football and it was provided by Danny Powell who produced a moment of quality with a superb 25 yard free kick that gave the keeper no chance to make it 3-1.  This was just a consolation and it was Sheffield who completed the scoring with a goal in the last minute.

I may be biased but if Leeds had played Sheffield on a good playing surface I think the natural football ability of the Leeds boys would have seen Leeds victorious but with a pitch like today we will struggle against determined teams like Sheffield unless we show more fight.  Sheffield wanted it more today and thoroughly deserved their victory.