'Really good' - Boss hails progress of Leeds United youngster and club 'identity' example

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The progress of a Whites youngster and display of club ‘identity’ has been hailed.

Leeds United under-21s boss Scott Gardner has saluted the progress of young keeper Rory Mahady and his team’s display of club “identity” in their second game of the new campaign.

Gardner’s side took in their second fixture of the new Premier League 2 season on Friday at home to Aston Villa who created a host of chances but only left with a 1-1 draw.

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Scotland youth international keeper Rory Mahady proved a key barrier to Villa success, the 18-year-old making several superb saves in just his third game for the 21s.

Capped at Scotland under-19s level, Mahady was part of last season’s under-18s team that reached the FA Youth Cup final and Gardner has saluted the young keeper’s continued progress at a new level.

Despite Villa’s chances, a first-half penalty netted by Luca Thomas had Gardner’s side on course for a 1-0 victory until Villa’s Charlie Lutz scrambled home a 79th-minute leveller.

Gardner was full of praise for his side’s battling display, in which he said his young Whites mirrored club “identity”.

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"I thought it was an exciting game, particularly the second half,” said Gardner to LUTV. "It had a bit of everything. If we have got that as our foundation in terms of team spirit and togetherness in the second half where we had to roll our sleeves up a little bit, I think we are in a good place.

"It can be difficult in the 21s group with a lot of different age groups and different situations. But as a group we are honest and hard working and I thought you saw the Leeds identity in there in terms of those moments where they have to roll their sleeves up.

“To be fair to the players, I thought they found some solutions in the first half so sort of solved some of the problems themselves. And I thought they were very good to be fair Villa."

Asked about the display of keeper Mahady, Gardner declared: “I think he is making really good progress. Seeing him in the Youth Cup last year, he was a big part of the success in that run and I am just pleased that he has carried on from the start of the season in the same sort of form."  

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