Preseason Match Recap: Guiseley 3 - 4 Leeds

Leeds United repeated the scoreline of two seasons ago with a 4-3 victory over Guiseley AFC at Nethermoor.

On that occasion Leeds went 3-0 down in 23 minutes but this time Leeds only went 2-0 behind in an opening spell where the centre-back pairing of Hugo Diaz and Laurens De Bock were put to shame by Guiseley centre forward Paul Clayton who scored the first and set up the second. Leeds pulled one back through Mateusz Klich and went in 2-1 down.

The second half was a massive improvement. Goals from Jack Clarke and two for Ryan Edmondson put Leeds 4-2 up, before Leeds went to sleep to concede a third. Leeds could have had many more goals in the second half, but to be fair Guiseley could have had another couple in the first half. In the end though, the better side won the match.

Leeds were behind after only 2 minutes, a long ball up to Paul Clayton (get used to that) wasn’t dealt with by Hugo Diaz and Laurens De Bock (get used to that too) and Clayton slipped the ball past Jamal Blackman.

After the goal Leeds started to get into the game, both Tom Pearce and Tyler Roberts had efforts deflected wide but it was Guiseley who came closest when Rowan Liburd easily outmuscled De Bock from another long ball but his shot was deflected wide with Blackman looking beaten.

After 20mins Guiseley went close again, Andy Halls with a well struck free kick from 30 yards out but it was saved acrobatically by Blackman.

Soon after, Leeds had a shot on target through Mateusz Klich, who in the first half was Leeds best player, but the shot was straight at the keeper. Most of the good work from Leeds was coming from Klich, Tom Pearce, and Jack Clarke.

Lewis Baker then went close twice. First with a curling left-footed effort after his good footwork beat two players to create an opening. The second with a right-footed free-kick from around 25 yards that went just over.

Leeds were starting to have all the play, but Guiseley’s 2nd goal then came from the same defensive story. In the 29th minute a long ball to Clayton who easily beat Diaz in the air. Knocked down to Reece Thompson who finished well but De Bock got nowhere near him.

Guiseley would have made it 3 but for a good save from Blackman. A long ball found Clayton, who headed the ball across the box and Thornton headed the ball towards the bottom left corner forcing a good save from the Chelsea loanee goalkeeper.

Leeds then fashioned a good chance. Some good hold up play from Ryan Edmondson and his through ball put Lewis Baker one-on-one with Green in the Guiseley goal, but his attempt to lift it over the keeper also lifted it over the crossbar.

The news then went from bad to worse for Leeds as Tyler Roberts went off possibly injured, to be replaced by Jordan Stevens. Hopefully he isn’t injured but no-one is sure at this stage.

Around the 40 minute mark Leeds finally had something to cheer. Jack Clarke and Tom Pearce exchanged passes down the left before Clarke passed the ball inside to Klich. Klich took a good first touch before rifling the ball into the bottom left hand corner from the edge of the area. Leeds went in at half-time 2-1 down.

Leeds had two chances in opening 2 minutes of the second half. Jack Clarke drifted inside and ran at the Guiseley defence before finding Baker in the inside left channel. His left-foot shot was save well by Green.

One minute later, Klich was the provider for Baker, this time in the inside right channel. Again, a shot across the keeper. Again, saved well by Green.

Leeds got a deserved equaliser after 49 minutes. Jack Clarke cut infield again, played the ball out right to Jordan Stevens, he found Jamie Shackleton who returned the ball to Jack Clarke in the box, and he finished confidently into the bottom-left corner.

Then Leeds took the lead. Mateusz Klich with a great through ball to Edmondson who controlled well on his chest and slipped the ball under the Guiseley keeper.

Guiseley then nearly equalised when former Leeds reserves captain Will Hatfield picked out a great right foot cross from the left wing that was put over from 5 yards by Thompson.

On 58 minutes, Ronaldo Vieira struck a good effort just over from 25 yards out.

Then, on 61 minutes. Jack Clarke again ran at defenders down the left, who backed off, his shot was blocked but it fell to Klich on the edge of the box. Unfortunately, his half volley went over the bar.

Two minutes later, a let-off for Ryan Edmondson. A low free-kick into the box which he was defending at the near post. He sliced his right-foot clearance narrowly wide of the near post.

Leeds made another change on 68mins, Oriol Rey replacing Hugo Diaz.

After 71 minutes. Jack Clarke again attacked down the left, he played the ball inside to Baker whose shot was saved well by Green diving to his left.

Then, from the resulting corner Leeds made it 4-2. Ryan Edmondson getting ahead of his man to head home, the keeper maybe should have done better. Edmondson was immediately replaced by Sam Dalby.

Guiseley got one back immediately. Mateusz Klich made his one real mistake of the game to allow Curtis Morrison to beat him and get into the box. Morrison drove the ball across goal and Blackman got a touch, but he could only palm the ball into the path of (experienced utility player) A. Trialist to tap home from close range.

The game finally slowed down a bit in the last 15 and the only chance of note was a free-kick from Baker which went just over. Has to be noted that on another day Baker could have had a hat-trick.

A good win in the end for Leeds. Some great stuff going forward, some awful stuff defensively. We’re not dull, that’s for sure.