Report: York City 0-5 Leeds United
Whites off to winning start in pre-season.
Pre-seaon friendly
York City 0
Leeds United 5 (Harrison 3, 44 Roofe 22, Hernandez 34, Forshaw 53)
York: Whitley (Jameson 45), Griffiths (Dyer 45), Ferguson (Jebson-King 62), McNulty (Newton 45), King (Tait 45), Beresford (Allan 45), Green (Moke 45), McLaughlin (Bond 45), Burrow (Langstaff 45), Maguire (Wright 62), Allen (Watson 62) (Kempster 45). Subs not used: Watson, Harrison, Ventura, Whitley.
Leeds: Casilla, Douglas (Jenkins 62), Cooper (Struijk 62), Berardi (Casey 62), Dallas (Hosannah 62), Forshaw (Gotts 62), McCalmont (Oduor 62), Harrison (McCarron 62), Hernandez (Mujica 62), Roofe (Temenuzhkov 62), Bamford (Edmondson 62). Subs not used: Miazek.
Booked: McLaughlin (York)
Referee: R. Joyce
Venue: Bootham Crescent
Attendance: 5,108 (2,162 Leeds)
Leeds United produced a rampant display in the first game of pre-season, hitting five goals past York City.
Marcelo Bielsa named a strong side for the trip to Bootham Crescent, with Barry Douglas and Adam Forshaw making returns from injury after missing the final games of the last campaign.
Leeds took the lead with the first opportunity of the match, Pablo Hernandez crossed in low from the right and Steve McNulty failed to clear, allowing Jack Harrison to slot home.
The Whites went close to a second soon after when Patrick Bamford tried his luck from long range, with his attempt going just over the crossbar.
Bamford was again unlucky in the 18th minute, he was played in on goal by Hernandez and his powerful effort from a narrow angle hit the post.
Four minutes later, Leeds did double the lead. Harrison reached the York byline and his low cross was met with a first time finish by Kemar Roofe from close range.
Straight from the restart Leeds went straight back on the attack, with Adam Forshaw firing narrowly wide from 25 yards.
The Whites almost added a third from a free kick, with Hernandez just inches away from finding the top corner.
Leeds went further ahead in the 34th minute, following some lovely build up play, Harrison did well down the left and found Bamford in the box. The Leeds striker then laid the ball off to Hernandez who superbly found the bottom right corner.
Roofe saw a long range lob attempt go over, before York had an opportunity after winning a free kick in a good shooting position, but Kallum Griffiths fired well over.
On the stroke of half time Leeds added a fourth, with Harrison firing home a great strike from 25 yards, which found the bottom corner.
Half time: York City 0-4 Leeds United
Bielsa made no changes at the break and Leeds almost added a fifth two minutes into the second period. Harrison played a lovely one-two with Douglas, but he was denied a hat-trick from close range after a good save from York stopper Peter Jameson.
The fifth did come in the 53rd minute, Hernandez’s through ball put Forshaw in at goal and he brilliantly dinked the ball over the outcoming Jameson.
Leeds’ entire outfield was replaced just after the hour mark, with Liam McCarron and Rafa Mujica making a first outing in a Whites shirt.
Mujica almost extended Leeds’ advantage in the 77th minute, he was played into the York box by Struijk, but scuffed his effort wide of goal.
Ryan Edmondson tried his luck from 20 yards three minutes later, but he couldn’t get the better of Jameson in the York net.
In the closing stages Leeds had the chance to wrap up the win, Oliver Casey drove forwards and his pass found Robbie Gotts. Gotts then played in Mujica who rounded Jameson, but couldn’t convert the chance from a narrow angle.
The Whites now head to Guiseley on Thursday, for pre-season game two, ahead of the team flying out to Australia at the weekend.
Full time: York City 0-5 Leeds United
