U18 Premier League North
Derby County U18 2 (Green 34’, Myers 35’)
Leeds United U18 3 (Ibrovic-Fletcher 16’, Stockton 43’, Bennett 81’)
Derby: Dzialuk (GK), Taylor, Hodges, Connor, Crolla-Dowe (C), Myers, Corry, Mintus (Gill 60’), Green, Griffiths (Doyle 77’), Clarke (Blake 60’). Subs not used: Rees (GK), Thomas.
Leeds: Cook (GK), Dudley, Bridge (Thompson 72’), Bhaskaran, Hamilton, Njinko, Alker, Ibrovic-Fletcher (Bennett 46’), Stockton, Morris (C). Subs not used: Wood (GK), Simo, Massey.
Referee: Thomas Halloway
Venue: Moor Farm Training Centre
Goals from debutant Edward Ibrovic-Fletcher, Thomas Stockton and Oliver Bennett were decisive as Leeds United Under-18s ran out 3-2 winners in a strong display against Derby County Under-18s.
Barring two minutes in which the hosts scored twice, Leeds were impressive on the afternoon. The young Whites took a deserved lead after 16 minutes thanks to Ibrovic-Fletcher who chased down a ball sent over the top of the Derby defence.
He controlled well inside the right of the area, before cutting back past a defender and shooting low into the bottom of the goal to give the visitors the lead.
The Rams replied and had the ball in the back of the net thanks to a sharp finish from striker Israel Green but the linesman’s flag was up. Just after the half-hour mark, though, Green got his goal, breaking through and firing home.
County then won possession straight from the restart and Kacey Myers curled a shot into the top right corner, beating a diving Robbie Cook.
Despite trailing, Leeds stayed composed, being rewarded in the 43rd minute when Stockton drove from just over the halfway line to the edge of the box before placing a low shot perfectly into the bottom left corner. With parity restored, referee Thomas Halloway brought an enthralling first period to a close.
HALF TIME: Derby County U18 2-2 Leeds United U18
The second half was slightly calmer than the first, with both sides taking longer spells of possession in order to find an opening in the other’s defence.
Leeds had more of these half chances and eventually got that prized third goal when, in the 81st minute, Joseph Bhaskaran found space on the edge of the Rams’ penalty area.
He slid a through ball to half-time substitute Bennett who got a slight touch to wrongfoot Derby goalkeeper Cristiano Dzialuk, allowing the ball to trickle into the back of the net and put the visitors back in the lead!
Following this, the young Whites defended superbly as a unit, not allowing Derby to have any opportunities to bring themselves level again, seeing out the last ten minutes and claiming a thoroughly deserved victory.
After a disrupted January, it was a good win for Rob Etherington’s side on their return to U18 Premier League North action. They are on the road again next weekend, heading to Merseyside to take on Liverpool.
FULL TIME: Derby County U18 2-3 Leeds United U18
