Leeds United
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Match
Yeovil Town vs Leeds United
 1 - 1 
Date: 
23/08/2008
Venue: 
Huish Park
Attendance: 
6,580
Referee: 
D Whitestone
Match Report

UNITED PAY PENALTY

 23 Aug 2008

YEOVIL TOWN 1 (Owusu 62 pen), UNITED 1 (Becchio 1)

Yeovil: Begovic, Jones, Skiverton, Forbes, Way (Alcock 90), Tomlin, Schofield (Owusu 15), Warne, Downes (Roberts 52), Murtagh, Peltier. Subs: Wagenaar, McCollin.

United: Ankergren, Richardson, Huntington, Marques, Sheehan, Snodgrass (Douglas 74), Howson (Delph 86), Prutton, Robinson (Showunmi 73), Beckford, Becchio. Subs: Lucas, Telfer.

Referee: D Whitestone.

Booked: Downes, Peltier, Owusu (Yeovil), Snodgrass, Becchio, Huntington, Beckford (United).

Att: 6580

Highlights and reaction on LUTV from Sunday evening...

Click here for LUTV

United boss Gary McAllister made one change to his starting line-up for the trip to Yeovil Town with striker Luciano Becchio making his full league debut in place of Enoch Showunmi, who started on the bench.

Luciano Becchio celebrates his goal at Yeovil

And the decision paid immediate dividends with the Argentinian repaying the manager just 25 seconds into the game.

Rui Marques lifted the ball over the top, Becchio capitalised on indecision at the back, and managed to steer the ball past Yeovil goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to give United a quick-fire lead.

It was a great start for United - it was the quickest goal since Jermaine Wright's 11-second goal against Burnley in November 2004 - and Jermaine Beckford went close to furthering the advantage inside six minutes when he lifted a shot over the top following good work on the edge of the box by Jonny Howson.

Beckford was causing problems for Yeovil and when he won a second successive free-kick after nine minutes, Alan Sheehan shaved the bar with a curling strike.

Beckford threatened again on 18 minutes when he sent a shot skidding just wide of the upright after some good work by Becchio.

While United dominated the opening half-hour, there were also plenty of hefty challenges flying about. Yeovil's Danny Schofield limped out of the game, Becchio was flattened, and Aidan Downes was booked for a foul on Howson. Robert Snodgrass also saw yellow after going to ground.

Five minutes before the interval there was another flare-up, Becchio earning himself a booking for raising his foot in a challenge.

Celebrations at Yeovil

Yeovil were forced into making a second substitution for injury early in the second period when Gary Roberts replaced Downes.

The home side started the second half brighter, and Paul Warne almost produced an equaliser on 53 minutes when his close range volley was somehow deflected to safety. He also rattled a shot against the body of Paul Huntington after Casper Ankergren failed to claim the corner kick.

But it was United who almost went further in front shortly before the hour-mark. Snodgrass tried his luck from 25 yards and Begovic, who failed to hold his shot, fumbling the ball, could only watch as the ball bounced wide of the post.

Disaster struck for United on 61 minutes, though, when Huntington was adjudged to have pushed Warne and the hosts were awarded a penalty. Ankergren got down well to save Owusu's initial shot, but the Yeovil sub converted at the second attempt.

The penalty decision angered the United players and Beckford's name was added to the referee's notebook for protesting as the game was about to re-start.

The goal clearly gave the hosts a lift, and it took a desperate clearance from Snodgrass to break down a Yeovil attack moments after the equaliser.

Lloyd Owusu equalises for Yeovil

Owusu was then guilty of wasting a good opportunity, firing over the bar after a good cross from the left from Nathan Jones.

Yeovil were enjoying their best spell of the game and Gavin Tomlin had Ankergren back-tracking furiously when he tried a chip from distance.

With a quarter-of-an-hour remaining, McAllister made a double substitution, introducing Showunmi and Jonathan Douglas in place of Robinson and Snodgrass. The double change brought a change of shape with United moving to a 4-3-3- system.

And it was Leeds who threatened next when Beckford sent an angled shot across the face of goal in the 78th minute after working himself a decent opening.

Becchio also tested Begovic with a shot from outside of the area and as the contest entered the final 10 minutes the spoils were still up for grabs.

Yeovil threatened again when Warne got the better of Frazer Richardson, and Sheehan got a decisive touch on his cross-cum-shot to ensure a corner.

With four minutes remaining, McAllister made his final change, introducing Fabian Delph in place of Howson.

Moments later, the United players and fans were angered when a Leeds attack was halted - Becchio was in a good position down the right - due to the appearance of a second ball in the Yeovil area.

Four minutes of stoppage time were added on, and it was Sheehan again who proved the final act of defence after Tomlin latched onto a long ball over the top and rounded the advancing Ankergren.

And that proved the final opportunity for either side as honours ended even.

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