Leeds United Under-23s: Whites fall to shock Barnsley defeat as Izzy Brown suffers fresh injury

Leeds United's Under-23s fell to a shock 2-0 defeat to bottom of the table Barnsley on Monday afternoon at Thorp Arch.
Leeds United's Tyler Roberts in action during Barnsley defeat.Leeds United's Tyler Roberts in action during Barnsley defeat.
Leeds United's Tyler Roberts in action during Barnsley defeat.

Marcelo Bielsa made several first-team stars available once more as Patrick Bamford, Jack Harrison and Izzy Brown started the fixture at United's training complex.

The Whites headed into the Yorkshire derby top of the pile, while the Reds sat bottom of the Professional Development League North.

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It was Barnsley who took the lead as they stunned Carlos Corberan's men after just six minutes as Keiran Feeney cushioned a header back into the box.

United left winger Amir Berkouitz all alone inside the area and he duly obliged as he rifled a volley past Will Huffer.

Leeds struggled to find a response as their usual edge was lacking but Bamford should really have levelled up proceedings on the twenty minute mark.

Leif Davis played an inch-perfect ball across the pitch to Jordan Stevens who took the effort in his stride to play a one-two with Alfie McCalmont before Bamford struck straight at Henry Kendrick in the Barnsley goal.

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Ten minutes later though disaster would strike as the returning Brown fell to ground off the ball.

The Chelsea loanee, who was making only his fourth appearance as he stepped up his comeback from a torn ACL, left the field of play grasping his hamstring as Bielsa and sporting director Victor Orta watched on with Tyler Roberts replacing him.

Barnsley again started the better of the two sides after the break and it wasn't long before they doubled their advantage following a costly Whites error.

United goalkeeper Huffer collected the ball from a throw-in and played it to centre-back Aapo Halme who attempted to return the favour but he left his goalkeeper short with the pass.

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Reds skipper Romal Palmer was on hand to make the most of the error as he rounded the helpless Leeds stopper to give Barnsley a deserved cushion.

The visitors were playing with confidence and despite their league position were the far superior side as they knocked the ball around with ease.

Leeds should have pulled one back as great work from Jack Harrison found Bamford all alone in the box but he saw his effort strike the crossbar.

It was as close as Corberan's men would come though as they ended 2018 with a shock defeat to their south Yorkshire counterparts as the Reds got revenge for the 4-1 reversal in mid-October.

Leeds United Under-23s XI: Huffer, Gotts, Oduor, Nicell, Davis, Halme, Stevens, McCalmont, Harrison, Brown, Bamford. Subs: Miazek, Diaz, Hosannah, Roberts, Temenuzhkov.