NEWCASTLE UNITED: LEEDS SNATCH DRAW AT THE DEATH

 NEWCASTLE UNITED: LEEDS SNATCH DRAW AT THE DEATH

Wood nets injury time equaliser.

EFL Sky Bet Championship 

Newcastle United 1 (Lascelles 67) Leeds United 1 (Wood 90+5)

Leeds United striker Chris Wood’s 95th minute effort snatched the Whites a dramatic late point at St James’ Park.

The home side started brightly, Jonjo Shelvey played a neat through ball trying to send Aleksandar Mitrovic through on goal, but Rob Green made a good interception.

Leeds almost broke the deadlock inside nine minutes, Alfonso Pedraza’s shot from the edge of the box hit the crossbar and Kemar Roofe’s rebounding header was cleared off the line.

Newcastle then went close from a corner, once again Green was called into action, denying Matt Ritchie from a narrow angle. 

Shelvey was next to test Green, his corner was heading goal-wards and the Leeds stopper had to punch his effort off the line.

Ritchie then saw an effort from range, just float over the crossbar as the home side pressed to take the lead.

Pedraza, who was a real threat for Leeds down the left wing again went close with a strike from the edge of the box, his low effort went just wide and Kemar Roofe wasn’t far away from turning it goal-wards, but couldn’t quite get on the end of it.

Yoan Gouffran nearly gave Newcastle the lead, Pablo Hernandez lost possession and the Frenchman struck from the edge of the box and hit the post, before Pontus Jansson made a fine block to stop Ritchie’s follow up.

From the resulting corner, Leeds again had Green to thank, denying Chancel Mbemba’s header, to keep the scores level at the break.

Half Time: Newcastle United 0-0 Leeds United

After the break the hosts went close from a free-kick, Ritchie bent his effort around the wall, but couldn’t beat Green. 

Jamaal Lascelles almost gave the Magpies the lead, he headed just wide from a Shelvey free-kick.

Mitrovic was then only denied by some brilliant defending from Pontus Jansson, he managed to get the ball over Green, but couldn’t get the better of the Swedish defender on the goal line.

Newcastle took the lead in the 67th minute, after continuing to pressure at set-pieces, Lascelles saw his effort creep over the line, despite the best efforts of Green in the United goal.

Leeds had Green to thank to stop the home side from extending their lead further, denying a Ayoze Perez header at a corner.

Shelvey nearly made it two from another set-piece, he fired a free-kick just off target as the hosts looked to push on.

After play had been halted due to a pitch invader in added time, the Whites managed to grab a crucial point.  Kemar Roofe was felled on the halfway line and Leeds piled everyone forward at the resulting free-kick.  The ball eventually came out to Roofe and he crossed in, finding Chris Wood unmarked and his 95th minute leveler sent the Leeds fans into delirium.

Full Time: Newcastle United 1-1 Leeds United

Newcastle: Darlow, Dummett, Lascelles, Anita, Ritchie (Yedlin 84), Shelvey, Hayden (Colback 79), Perez (Diame 90), Mbemba, Gouffran, Mitrovic.  Subs not used: Hanley, Elliot, Atsu, Murpy.

Leeds: Green, Ayling, Bartley, Jansson, Berardi (Taylor 78), Phillips, Bridcutt (Doukara 76), Hernandez, Roofe, Pedraza (Sacko 61), Wood.  Subs not used: O’Kane, Dallas, Vieira, Peacock-Farrell.

Booked: Shelvey, Colback (Newcastle), Bartley, Jansson, Phillips (Leeds)

Referee: C. Kavanagh

Venue: St James’ Park

Attendance: 52,301

 

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