Decision on Leeds United man prompts angry response but Whites quartet shine with goal netted

Several loaned out Leeds players were in action upon Good Friday’s programme in the EFL including Ian Poveda who returned to the starting line up for Blackpool in their Championship clash at home to Cardiff City.

Poveda’s last start for the Tangerines had arrived in the 1-0 loss at Blackburn Rovers at the end of February, after which he had been either named on the bench or left out of the squad in the six games that followed.

Boss Mick McCarthy opted to start Poveda against Cardiff but withdrew the 23-year-old upon making his second change in the 66th minute, at which point the hosts were 3-0 down. The substitution was greeted by an unhappy response from home fans who pulled a goal back through Josh Bowler but ultimately fell to a 3-1 defeat.

Elsewhere in the Championship’s afternoon action, there were starts for both Leo Helde and Cody Drameh – the latter who is now close to being ten out of ten for Luton Town. Drameh started a ninth league game in a row for the Hatters in Friday’s clash at promotion rivals Millwall which ended in a goalless draw. Jamie Shackleton was brought on as an 88th-minute substitute for Millwall for whom fellow Leeds loanee Charlie Cresswell missed out having fractured his eye socket the previous weekend.

Hjelde, though, returned to the starting line up for Rotherham United in their hosting of West Brom and played the full 90 minutes of a 3-1 victory. In the league’s teatime game, Joe Gelhardt once again started for Sunderland in their hosting of Hull City and the Leeds loanee bagged the game’s opening goal to put his side 1-0 up, netting from close range with 21 minutes on the clock.

Alfie McCalmont also enjoyed a fine afternoon in League Two, starting for Carlisle United and playing 90 minutes of a 2-0 victory at home to Tranmere Rovers.