Vertu Trophy Group G
Port Vale 4 (Paton 23’, Shorrock 34’, Curtis 63’, Faal 87’)
Leeds United U21 1 (McDonald 12’)
Port Vale: Marosi (GK), Hall (C), Brown (Curtis 61’), Ojo, Gordon, Paton (Faal 76’), Waine, Debrah (Heneghan 46’) Shorrock (Headley 61’), John (Croasdale 80’) Shipley. Subs not used: Blight (GK), Walters.
Leeds: Ombang (GK), Douglas, Lienou, Cresswell (C), Lopata-White, Enahoro-Marcus, Brockie (Dudley 67’), Chadwick, Gray, Pickles, McDonald (Pirie 74’). Subs not used: Kenyon (GK), Njinko, Mills, Whitehead, Firth.
Referee: Elliot Swallow
Booked: Hall, John, Gordon (Port Vale) Lopata-White, Pickles, Cresswell, Chadwick (Leeds)
Venue: Vale Park
Attendance: 1,049 (118 away)
Leeds United Under-21s were beaten by an experienced Port Vale side away from home in their Vertu Trophy Group G opener.
Ahead of kick-off in Staffordshire, Whites boss Scott Gardner made three changes to the team that defeated Burnley last time out in the Premier League 2, handing starts to Darryl Ombang, Reuben Lopata-White and Devon Brockie.
Intense pressing from the hosts early on saw the Valiants latch onto a loose ball and race through in the opening moments. A clever pass to Ben Waine then bypassed the onrushing Ombang yet, with the goal at his mercy, the forward was denied by a sublime block by the retreating Louis Enahoro-Marcus.
The defender had started impressively at Vale Park and with 12 minutes on the clock, his intelligent reading of play wrestled back possession for Leeds deep into opposition territory.
Releasing Harry Gray, the striker in turn found Josh McDonald who kept his composure and drilled a low strike under Marko Marosi and into the back of the net, giving the Whites the lead!
Keen to make amends for his earlier miscue and restore parity, a dangerous delivery across the face of goal from Waine was crucially gathered by Ombang before Ruari Paton could pounce.
The New Zealand international was again involved moments later, finding space to power a close-range header beyond the upright. Dajaune Brown then had a couple of opportunities but was unable to trouble the Leeds stopper.
Darren Moore’s side did level proceedings midway through the first half courtesy of Paton, racing onto a well weighted through ball and bundling beyond the keeper.
The hosts were demonstrating their experience and quality as they continued to threaten on home soil with skipper Alfie Cresswell showing his defensive qualities to charge down a low Waine strike amidst a scramble in the Whites’ penalty area, only for Jack Shorrock to grab a second minutes later.
Determined to stop the one-way traffic, a lightning break straight from kick off brought a sight of goal for Rhys Chadwick, fizzing an arrowed effort narrowly wide from distance.
Appeals for a handball inside the Vale penalty area were waved away by referee Elliot Swallow as Gardner’s side drove forward once more approaching the interval.
HALF TIME: Port Vale 2-1 Leeds United U21
The Whites remained unchanged as they were welcomed back onto the pitch by an impressive travelling contingent housed behind the goal Leeds now attacked.
The visitors began on the front foot as Gray created space inside the area but, under pressure from a Valiants defender, the in-form attacker was unable to hit the target from a narrow angle.
Douglas then had an opportunity as the hosts failed to clear a dangerous Chadwick delivery. Setting up nicely for the versatile forward on the edge of the area, the 19-year-old’s powerful low strike whistled past the upright.
Approaching the hour mark, McDonald came desperately close to netting his second of the evening but couldn’t react quickly enough to convert from Brockie’s deflected cross.
As Leeds threatened to level the tie, a change from the home team’s dugout introduced Republic of Ireland international Ronan Curtis into the action and, within minutes, the attacker extended Vale’s advantage with an emphatic effort from distance.
With just over 20 minutes of normal time remaining, Paton thought he had grabbed his second from inside the area, only for the assistant’s flag to be raised for an offside.
The young Whites showed great character and spirit despite the third goal, still playing some intricate, incisive football and creating opportunities as they searched for a lifeline.
Chadwick saw the ball somehow smothered and bundled behind latching onto Gray’s pass and McDonald, in a final involvement before being replaced by Lewis Pirie, forced a vital intervention from Marosi as he headed towards the back post.
Substitute Mo Faal added a fourth before the end in a scoreline which flattered the hosts, with United battling until the final whistle including Douglas crashing a powerful shot off the woodwork in the dying stages.
Gardner’s side will travel to Highbury to face Fleetwood Town in their next Vertu Trophy encounter in October, before rounding off their Group G campaign with a trip to Accrington Stanley’s Wham Stadium.
FULL TIME: Port Vale 4-1 Leeds United U21
