Leeds United U23s 2 Sheffield Wednesday U23s 2: Whites earn battling point at Thorp Arch to remain unbeaten

Leeds United's under-23s earned a valuable battling point on Monday afternoon as they played out a 2-2 draw with Sheffield Wednesday to stretch their unbeaten start to six games in the Professional Development League.
Leeds United 2-2 Sheffield Wednesday.Leeds United 2-2 Sheffield Wednesday.
Leeds United 2-2 Sheffield Wednesday.

The Whites handed starts to first team players Jamal Blackman, Tom Pearce, Conor Shaughnessy and Lewis Baker with the returning Adam Forshaw being named on the bench alongside Ryan Edmondson.

There was barely two minutes on the clock before the scoring was opened in comical circumstances at Thorp Arch.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Sheffield Wednesday defender Ciaran Brennan played a harmless ball across to goalkeeper Cameron McCullogh but the stopper miscontrolled the pass and allowed the ball to cross his line with the assistant raising his flag to indicate the goal.

Wednesday protested but the complaints fell on deaf ears and it was another mistake which let the visitors back into the game 20 minutes later.

Blackman produced a fine save to deny George Boyd but from the resulting corner Leif Davis sliced the ball into the back of his own net at the front post.

Wednesday enjoyed a spell of dominance following the leveller but it was Leeds who went close as Sam Dalby got on the end of a Pearce cross to crash a header onto the crossbar.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Whites were made to pay just moments later as Boyd finally beat Blackman with a low drilled effort from inside the area on the stroke of half-time.

United though were level just moments after the break as first half substitute Hugo Diaz drove into the visiting box and saw an effort well saved by McCullogh with the resulting ball falling to Dalby who picked out an inch perfect cross for Jack Clarke met the ball with a brilliant diving header which found the top corner of the net.

Leeds pressed on but were down to 10 men following the introduction of Edmondson and Forshaw at the break as Shaughnessy had to leave the field of play with a knock.

It was the visitors who looked the likelier of the two teams to break the deadlock as full-time approached with Joe West and Jack Stobbs going close.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The points though were shared as Leeds maintained their unbeaten start to the Professional Development League season which has now stretched to six games with four wins and two draws.

Leeds United U23s XI: Blackman, Davis, Pearce (c), Halme, Gotts, Shaughnessy, Baker, McCalmont, Clarke, Stevens, Dalby. Subs: Miazek, Edmondson, Forshaw, Diaz, Kamwa.

Sheffield Wednesday U23s XI: McCullogh, Dawodu, West, Lee, O'Grady, Brennan, Stobbs, Waldock, Hooper, Boyd, Longhar. Subs: Grant, Wallis, Rice, O'Brien, Hammond.