Sponsored by
Match report: Old Headingley v Wyke Wanderers
Old Headingley were edged out in a five goal thriller for the second time in successive weeks.
Old Headingley 2
Wyke Wanderers 3
* Click here to sign up to free news and sport email alerts from Headingley Today.
Leading 2-1 with twenty minutes remaining and their goalkeeper having been untroubled during the second half, Old Headingley appeared set to rebound from the disappointment of their previous week's defeat with a promising victory.
* Click here to become a fan of Headingley Today on Facebook.
The concession of two goals in the closing stages to a young Wyke side however left the home side stunned and wondering where it had all gone wrong, as for the second week they lost out in a home fixture by the odd goal in five.
* Click here for latest news in Headingley, West Park and Lawnswood.
In perfect conditions on a fine playing surface at Woodhall Lane, Old Headingley made four changes to their lineup from the previous week, with Craig Alston starting in goal, Phil Harrington coming into the defence, and the in-form partnership of Sam Pickup and Lenny Miller leading the attack. The early exchanges were promising for the home side, Harrington having the freedom of the right side of the pitch and linking well with Jamie Arkell and Edd Calvert on several occasions, although a fizzing strike from the edge of the penalty area from Andy Hallam proved to be the only real chance of note. At the other end, Arkell, Andy Williams and Callum Butcher had to be on their toes to deal with the threat caused by the visitors' mobile and pacy lone frontman.
Midway through the first half Wyke opened the scoring in strange fashion. An innocuous looking free kick was pumped into the heart of the Old Headingley penalty area and an apparent breakdown in communication between defenders and goalkeeper led to the ball being partially cleared but arriving fortuitously on the head of a loitering Wyke forward who gleefully nodded the ball into the unguarded goal.
After being on the rocks briefly and surviving a penalty scare, the home side drew level just before halftime.
Attacking the ball at the back post, Callum Butcher got on the end of a set piece delivered from the left flank and looped a header back across goal and into the corner for his second goal of the season.
The second half started with little incident, and in the first ten minutes Headingley introduced substitutes Oli Hubbard and Paul Harrington in an attempt to break the stalemate. Hubbard's long throw in began to cause mayhem in the Wyke ranks, and after one scramble saw a goalbound effort from Miller blocked by a defender's back, a throw in shortly after was flicked on by Butcher for Andy Hallam to register his third goal in three games from close range.
Seeking to put the game to bed, Headingley pushed on and both Paul Harrington and Lenny Miller forged chances for themselves, only for the finish to be lacking on both occasions. With Wyke seemingly running out of ideas, the visitors snatched an equaliser when Headingley lost possession inside their own half and a ball played in the inside-left channel was calmly slotted home for the equaliser. No-one seemed more surprised than Wyke themselves when ten minutes later a visiting midfielder was afforded too much time and space just outside the Headingley penalty area and his drilled effort found the top left hand corner of the goal and gave his side the lead.
Throwing Butcher up into attack in the closing stages, Headingley managed to fashion one more glorious chance for Harrington but as his effort flew straight at the goalkeeper so his hopes of a reprieve evaporated. As the final whistle blew on an entertaining game, the home side trooped off the pitch experiencing that now all too familiar sinking feeling.
Email to a friend
Print this page- Web poll: Who is to blame for Leeds United’s league position? VOTE HERE
- Leeds United: Redfearn given extended run at the helm
- Leeds United: Whites ponder next move in hunt for new manager LATEST
- Johnny Giles: Experience vital for Leeds United
- Leeds United: Billy Davies will listen if Whites come calling
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Leeds
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 0 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light snow
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
