Young Leeds United ace nominated for Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for December

Gelhardt scored the Whites' only goal before being taken off at half-time during the Under 23s' 3-1 defeat to Leicester City on Friday December 3, his only PL2 appearance last month.

Making 14 goal contributions in 16 appearances, Gelhardt played a vital part in the Under 23s' barnstorming PL2 Division 2 victory last season. This term, the young striker has taken a smaller role in the academy side's progress, with Marcelo Bielsa increasingly seeking Gelhardt's services for the first team.

With injuries to the senior squad putting increasing strain on the resources available to head coach Mark Jackson, the Under 23s have suffered a poor run of form. The young Whites haven't won a league game since September and, sitting in 13th place, are at risk of relegation from PL2 Division 1.

Gelhardt gave hope to the academy side in December when he finished off a neat one-two with Sam Greenwood by chipping Foxes' goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk to give Leeds the lead in the 27th minute at the Whites' home ground, the LNER Community Stadium.

His nomination-worthy contribution wasn't enough to claim a well-needed victory, though. In a manner which is becoming something of a trend for Jackson's side, the Whites suffered a second-half collapse after Gelhardt made way for Jack Jenkins at the interval, conceding three goals to allow the visitors to leave with all three points.

Gelhardt's fourty-five minute display was sufficient to earn him a place on the shortlist for PL2's Player of the Month award for December, for which players are considered after the division's coaches have picked out the best display among their opponent's side for each league game.

The striker has made the shortlist twice before but is yet to win the award.

Also nominated are West Brom forward Reyes Cleary, Norwich City striker Thomas Dickson-Peters, Fulham attacker Sonny Hilton, and Everton defender Reece Welch.

The winner will be announced later this month.

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