Match Recap: Leeds u23s 1-0 Middlesbrough u23s

After a convincing victory at Sunderland at the start of the week, Leeds United’s under-23s were looking to build on their first win of the season at home to Middlesbrough.

Changes were made to the side, with Drameh suspended and Bryce Hosannah going out on loan to Bradford City this week. Jack Harrison started at left-back as he can’t play thenext senior game against Manchester City. Jack Jenkins started in-front of the centre-backs while Crysencio Summerville made his debut in a Leeds shirt since signing from Feyenoord.

Middlesbrough has the first chance fall to them on six minutes, with a ball into the back post from the far-right side. It fell to Boro’s Burrell who blazed the ball over the crossbar from close-range.

Leeds’ first chance came just a minute later, as the home side attacked the box again following a recovered corner kick. Harrison showed his class as he skipped past a challenge before lifting the ball into the path of Greenwood in the box. He twisted onto his right foot before firing over the bar.

The Whites were given another let-off, with Boro’s Jones attacking the front-post cross at close range, once again missing the target as Boro should’ve been 2-0 up inside 14 minutes.

Joe Gelhardt was subbed due to an injury halfway through the first 45’ for fellow new-boy Charlie Allen, before a brilliant moment from Summerville who tracked back rapidly as Boro broke through. Not only did he recover the position of right-back, his fantastic last-ditch challenge on the attacker won Leeds a goal-kick.

Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images

It remained a cagey affair with the final ball lacking for both sides. Greenwood forced a decent save from a tight angle, before Boro came close with ten minutes to go. Caprile made a great save on a deflected shot, the rebound should be scored but Caprile saved again.

Leeds fashioned a good chance with brilliant build-up play, starting with McKinstry coming deep before dummy-turning his marker brilliantly. With the opened space, he slipped the ball into Greenwood who found Summerville on the right with a lovely pass. He crossed it in and Charlie Allen couldn’t get enough on the header to score.

But the next attack for Leeds would beat the keeper, as Jack Jenkins sliding a brilliant through ball into the path of Sam Greenwood who broke through on goal before finishing across goal into the bottom right corner off the inside of the post.

Greenwood’s goal proved to be the difference maker, as The Whites got their second win of the season while keeping a crucial clean-sheet.