Papa John’s Trophy

Salford City 5 (Thomas-Asante 26’, 60’, 70’, Touray 32’, Oteh 39’)

Leeds United U21s 3 (Dean 9’, Greenwood 35’, Bate 68’)

Salford: Ripley (GK) (Jeacock 67’), Love, Touray (c), Wright, Willock (Denny 52’), Turnbull, Oteh, Golden, Smith, Shephard, Thomas-Asante. Subs not used: Lund, Elliott, Morris. 

Leeds: Van den Heuvel (GK), Miller, Gelhardt (McGurk 45’), Cresswell (c) (Kenneh 45’), McKinstry, Greenwood, McCarron, Jenkins (Bate 45’) Dean, Moore, Mullen. Subs not used: Christy (GK), Allen, Hughes, Sutcliffe. 

Leeds United’s Under-21s went out of the Papa John’s Trophy at the group stage away at Salford City, due to having an inferior goal-difference to their hosts after playing three matches each.

An action packed first half at The Peninsula Stadium saw the Whites take the lead inside the opening 10 minutes. Joe Gelhardt picked up the ball and threaded through a pass to Max Dean, who showed composure to slot home and put his side ahead.  

Both Dean and then Sam Greenwood had chances to further extend the lead shortly after going in front, but Connor Ripley in the Salford goal stood firm to deny them with a couple of excellent saves.

The hosts then equalised from close-range. A scramble in the United goalmouth allowed Brandon Thomas-Asante to pounce and he toe-poked home beyond Dani Van den Heuvel to level the score. 

Shortly after, Salford then got their second. Once again it was a ball into the box doing the damage, as it was stood up to the back-post where captain Ibou Touray arrived to thunder a header into the back of the net.  

In this thrilling encounter, only another few minutes had passed before Leeds then got back on terms. Once again it was Gelhardt with sublime work to create the chance, gliding into the box before squaring for Greenwood to slot home left-footed. 

Before the break though, there was to be a fifth goal, and it went against Jackson’s side. Once again it was from a cross into the box, this time Aramide Oteh was able to turn home at close range.

HALF TIME: Salford City 3-2 Leeds United

Leeds made three changes at the interval. Gelhardt, Charlie Cresswell and Jack Jenkins well went off to be replaced by Nohan Kenneh, Sean McGurk and Lewis Bate.

Having just come on, McGurk went close to levelling the scores, forcing the impressive Ripley into yet another good save. From the resulting corner, Kris Moore saw his effort expertly tipped over the bar as well.

Just after Van den Heuvel had made a top stop of his own to deny the hosts, they did then go further ahead. From the resulting corner Thomas-Asante rose highest to head home his second and Salford’s fourth. 

The goal-scoring continued in what had been a game full of constant attacking play, and Leeds were back within one. Introduced for the second half, Bate charged down the ball, won it, and ran the length of the pitch before dinking over the ‘keeper and into the back of the net to make it 4-3.

Just as Leeds had hope though, the home side netted again and frustratingly it was from another corner. From the set-play, Thomas-Asante found enough space to direct the ball into the net and complete his hat-trick. 

Leeds continued to push forward as they had throughout the game, knowing they needed to find two goals if they were to progress in the competition. Greenwood went close twice, forcing a save from a free-kick before curling his second strike over moments later. 

In what had been an entertaining encounter, the Whites had ultimately come up short and exited the competition on goal-difference in what had been a competitive group stage throughout. 

FULL TIME: Salford City 5-3 Leeds United

Venue: The Peninsula Stadium 

Referee: R. Welch

Booked: Shepard, Turnbull (Salford) Greenwood, Mullen (Leeds)