Under 18s Premier League North
Leeds United U18s 1 (White 44’)
Burnley U18s 3 (Borgesson 7’, Taylor 37’ (pen), Morison 87’)
Leeds United U18s: Wood (GK), Walker, Balmer, Whitehead, Megson, Chambers, Mensah (C), Heywood (Stockton 74’), Bennett (Graaf 85’), Ibrovic-Fletcher, White. Subs not used: Banks, Bridge, Watson, Hazell-Schofield, Morral.
Burnley U18s: Feeney (GK), Costa, Fletchman (Oyebanjo 45’), Best, Ilung, Morison (C), Borgesson (Murwira 67’), Leonard, Taylor (Mmakogu 77’), Okonkwo (Lorimer 89’), Lewis. Subs not used: Hunt, Oshodl, Huggett.
Referee: Shemakay Own | Booked: Ibrovic-Fletcher, Megson, Mensah, Whitehead (Leeds) Oyebanjo,Murwira, (Burnley) | Venue: Thorp Arch
Despite Logan White netting his fourth goal in four games for the side, Leeds United Under-18s were beaten at home against Burnley Under-18s in this Premier League North encounter.
Leeds kicked the game off and were instantly under threat from an intense press by Burnley, led by Warren Taylor and Destiny Okonkwo, who sought an early chance.
The early pressure rewarded the visitors within seven minutes, as Okonkwo won the ball in Leeds’ final third and picked out Blayz Borgesson on the edge of the area. He sent a curling, left-footed effort towards goal, rattling the underside of the crossbar as the ball found its way into the net.
It was almost back-to-back goals for the Clarets, as Taylor found himself through one-on-one following a hopeful clearance from the Burnley back line. However, a heavy final touch gave Oliver Wood the time to rush out, make himself big and deny the second.
Approaching the half-hour mark, United looked to get on level terms, as White picked up the ball deep just inside his own half on the left, before lofting a ball over the top of the Burnley defence in search of Oliver Bennett. However, Freddie Best tracked the run to ease any danger heading towards goal.
Taylor then tricked his way into the box and fired a shot which was blocked by a wall of white shirts. The deflection appeared to wrong-foot Wood, but as the ball fell kindly to Borgesson, the Leeds goalkeeper adjusted magnificently to stick out an outstretched left leg and keep the score at 1-0.
Leeds almost found themselves back on level terms as Edward Ibrovic-Fletcher shot from outside the box, but the goalkeeper parried the effort down to his left. White followed up on the rebound, only for the keeper to divert his effort onto the post and out for a corner.
A battle between the two number eights saw Owen Heywood dispossessed by Tambwe Leonard in the middle of the park before feeding Taylor through into the area. This time, the attacker was first to the ball and was brought down, causing referee Shemakay Own to point to the spot. The attacker fired into the bottom-right corner, doubling the visitors’ lead.
Leeds looked to halve the deficit, with White and Ibrovic-Fletcher linking up down the left and allowing Ibrovic-Fletcher to drive into the box. He attempted to sneak his effort into the goalkeepers near post, but Callum Feeney reacted smartly to deny him and turn the ball around the post for a corner.
On the stroke of half-time, a lapse in concentration from the Clarets’ back line resulted in a weak back pass from Diandro Fletchman towards his goalkeeper. White was able to pounce, skip past the keeper and pass the ball into an empty net, halving the deficit for Rob Etherington’s side as they went into the break.
HALF-TIME: Leeds United U18s 1-2 Burnley U18s
Leeds continued where they left off in the first half, producing a much more threatening and relentless performance in the second half. It began with a combination between Mensah and Alfie Walker, where Walker sent a cross to the back post looking for White in the six-yard area, but the goalkeeper rose highest to claim the ball.
A free kick positioned on the left side of the Burnley box was whipped in by Balmer, where Morison could only slice his effort into the air and behind for a corner. The resulting corner continued to pile pressure on the away side, but their defence held strong to preserve their goal advantage.
Mensah drove forward with the ball, with White making a run beyond the back line. He was found and his first effort was denied by the Burnley goalkeeper, who was up quickly to deny the second attempt and prevent White and Leeds from finding their second.
Despite the pressure building against Burnley, the Clarets’ skipper Morison found space in the middle of the park against the run of play and drove forward. He unleashed a right-footed strike that stung the outstretched arm of Wood but was too powerful to keep out, securing the points for the visitors.
Leeds United remain at home for their next league fixture next Saturday, when they welcome Leicester City Under-18s.
Full-time: Leeds United U18s 1-3 Burnley U18s
