Leeds United Under-23s: Whites take control of title race as Izzy Brown bags in Watford victory
Izzy Brown was again made available for the development team's trip south and it was the Chelsea loanee who opened the scoring after 25 minutes.
United started the game on top and were finally rewarded as Brown cut in from the left past three Hornets defenders to slot home a neat finish as he bagged his fifth goal in eight appearances since returning from a hamstring strain in January.
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Hide AdLeeds cruised to the break as they dominated proceedings but it was the visitors who threatened after the interval.
Watford went close as the hosts saw a glancing header fall the wrong side of the post but it was all they could muster as United stood firm at the back.
With 18 minutes to go Pascal Struijk put the game out of sight as a Mateusz Bogusz free-kick fell to the defender who was left with an open goal after a mix-up in the Hornets backline.
United's added a third as substitute Kun Mihaylov rounded off a lovely move in which Brown picked out the run of Jordan Stevens with a lovely diagonal ball before the winger produced a low cross for the striker.
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Hide AdCarlos Corberan's men extended their lead at the top of the PDL north to eight points with the victory with just four games to go with chasing duo Burnley and Birmingham City holding a game in hand over the Whites
Watford XI: Parkes, Leighton, Hudson, Sankoh, Trialist, Mukena, Trialist, Trialist, Bennetts, Adebiyi, Trialist. Subs: Tricker, Baptiste, Maclean, Yamfam, Cassidy.
Leeds United XI: Male, Shackleton, Oduor, Diaz, Struijk, Halme, Stevens, Gotts, Edmondson, Bogusz, Brown. Subs: Rae, Kamwa, McCalmont, Hosannah, Kun.