Leeds U15s vs. Barnsley U15s (Away) - Yorkshire Trophy
Match report Saturday 1st November 2008
A prospect to warm the hearts - a visit to a drizzly Barnsley on a chilly Saturday morning to play against a spirited and until now successful Barnsley side. Good news though as the sun broke through and Leeds responded with a workmanlike and ultimately victorious performance taking all three points towards the end of the game.
The first half started in a lacklustre fashion with neither side taking the upper hand and both guilty of giving the ball away on a regular basis. It warmed up after 10 minutes when Tom Eastwood, looking menacing on the left beat his fullback with ease and delivered a deep cross to the back of the 6 yard box. Harrison McPhee didn't leap like the proverbial salmon but rather looped his header over the advancing keeper - Leeds 1-0!
Overall however the quality remained surprisingly poor in touch, control and decision making (and not only with the vending machines). After 22 minutes Barnsley should have scored with their stock move, a free kick aimed towards the towering centre half. Fortunately (and frequently) his flick from an open position was directed wide of the post, when it was easier to score.
For most of the half the home team enjoyed slightly more of the possession but lacked any real threat other than set pieces with which to punish Leeds who were in need of some inspiration. Most of the Leeds play was concentrated on the left where Eastwood was tormenting his fullback, with good support from left back Tom Bernie. In one terrific run Eastwood beat two men and laid a superb ball across the six yard line which outwitted both the Leeds forwards and the Barnsley defence.
Just before halftime the first of two goals were disallowed. In true Rob Styles 'Style' the referee struck off a controversial equalising header after, you guessed right, another left hand free kick into the box and onto the head of the Barnsley Centre half. This attempt came off the bar into the path of the Barnsley winger and into the net. Despite local dialect difficulties it was clear to the Leeds contingent that the home crowd were unimpressed with the ref's decision.
HT - Barnsley 0 Leeds 1
At the start of the second half Mr Thornton changed his tactics and formation. Connor Shearman immediately let fly with an optimistic but powerful long range shot. After 50 minutes Eastwood, the most dangerous Leeds player to date, had a great opportunity to increase the lead with a strong run and shot into the side netting.
Barnsley started to wake up and a period of good possession lead to a fine save by Nathan Lee at the feet of the Barnsley centre forward which kept Leeds in the game. 62 minutes and yet another free kick lofted into the box by Barnsley saw another chance go begging as the centre half once more directed the ball past the post. Clearly a good tactic but with a poorly executed finish. The pressure had to tell and sure enough Barnsley equalised with a snappy run and shot by the left winger into the both near post corner - 1-1.
The turning point in a competitive game lacking in overall quality came with a second disallowed goal by Barnsley's striker who over enthusiastically bundled ball and Nathan into the net. A less controversial decision which acted as a wake up call for Leeds.
Cole Harrop then re-entered the game with 10 minutes to go and certainly had an impact. In such short time he went on two similar moves down the right wing using power, strength and determination with his running, dribbling past defenders but producing two very different results.
With 5 minutes to go his mazy run took him from wide right wing, through the defence, past the outstretched keeper and into the completely undefended goal. And a goal surely beckoned! But NO! Was it a bobble? Was it a divot? Was it fatigue? Or all of these as Harrop found the space wide of the goal more enticing than the 8 yards of unattended open space. Such memories are made for the crowd, but more importantly the edgy parents!
The chance had gone and there were only minutes remaining for Leeds when a through ball from Jake Alleston found its way to Harrop in the familiar right wing position with defender and goalkeeper to beat. He did, clipping the ball over the keeper and past the despairing goal-line lunge of the centre half. Redemption indeed!
Special mention for the performance of the back four and in particular Luke Jones.
Final Score
Full Time - Barnsley U15s 1 Leeds U15s 2