Fleetwood Town 2 Leeds United 1 - Player ratings as Lewis Bate makes debut and young Whites leader excels
A young Leeds United side fell to a 2-1 defeat in Friday evening's pre-season friendly at Fleetwood Town - but how did we rate the performances?
By Lee Sobot
Published 30th Jul 2021, 21:44 BST
Updated 30th Jul 2021, 22:10 BST
Leeds sent out an under-23s side plus Adam Forshaw as the midfielder continues his comeback from injury.
Under-23s boss Mark Jackson took charge and saw his side go in front through a Charlie Cresswell header, only for Fleetwood to come roaring back after the break through a Josh Morris strike and Gerard Garner penalty.
6 - Played in front of Forshaw in the middle of the park in the first half and was then paired with Lewis Bate after the interval, eventually dropping deeper. Steady enough without being as impressive as he was in victory at Guiseley.
7 - Another unable to reach the levels seen at Guiseley but faced sterner opposition this time and still caused a fair degree of problems with his skill and pace. United's main outlet in the second half and denied a fine goal via the bar in the first.
7 - Sent in a lovely corner for Cresswell's header and found plenty of space on the right flank. Quieter after the break but remained a threat and looks promising.
6 - Still settling in following his summer switch from Birmingham City and a mixed bag but carries a clear threat with his pace, running and skill and was able to show that at times. Subbed at the break for Ian Poveda.
6 - There was no Joe Gelhardt or Sam Greenwood for Leeds which meant a chance for Dean and it's worth remembering he is still only 17 years old. Still raw but full of energy and good touches. Had a good chance to equalise from Bate's cross.
6 - Came on at the break for Forshaw but hardly the start he would have wished for in conceding a penalty which looked soft. But kept going and grew more into the game in the latter stages when pushing further up.
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.