Leeds United Women 4 (Hamill 53, Bartup 70, Brown 82, Smart 90+1)

Derby County Women 4 (Gilliatt 2, 22, Formaston 84, Trialist A 90+4)

📺 𝐋𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫!#LUFC Women kicked off their pre-season with a 4-4 draw against Derby on Sunday. Watch the highlights... pic.twitter.com/o9TBXehurP

— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 12, 2021

Leeds United women started their pre season campaign with thrilling 4-4 draw at home to Derby County women. 

Manager Dan O’Hearne handed debuts to a number of new players as they looked to build relationships on the pitch, ahead of the new campaign getting under way. 

The visitors from the division above took the lead after just two minutes when Ellie Gilliatt cut in from the right before firing in past Lauren Joyce. 

Derby nearly made it two, when Hamill cleared off the line from Gilliatt as she rounded the United keeper. Gilliatt did then make it two, midway through the first half by firing past Joyce from 20 yards. 

Hamilton almost made it three as she hit a shot across the face of goal for the Rams. Leeds had their first foray into the visitors half when Paige Williams chipped the Derby keeper only to see her effort dip just over the bar. 

The lively Gilliatt nearly got her hat trick when she shot just past the post from 15-yards out. Holly Orr then shot straight at the keeper for Leeds from an acute angle. 

Half Time: Leeds United Women 0-2 Derby County Women

Leeds found their rhythm at the start of the second period and pulled one back when captain Cath Hamill fired in after her header from a Sarah Danby corner was palmed back to her. 

Leeds kept pressing and made it 2-2 when Laura Bartup fired in after lovely approach work from Underdown and Abbie Brown. 

Leeds turned the game on its head when Abbie Brown shrugged off a Derby defender to fire in from the corner of the penalty area, to make it 3-2 to O’Hearne’s side. 

The game swung from end to end with Jade Formaston levelling for the visitors with an audacious effort that caught the Whites keeper off her line from 40 yards out.  

Leeds then looked to have won it in stoppage time when Olivia Smart latched onto a mistake from the Derby keeper, to superbly lob into the back of the net from range. 

However, Trialist A for Derby headed in with almost the last kick to ensure the game ended all square in what had been a thoroughly entertaining first pre-season clash.

Full Time: Leeds United Women 4-4 Derby County Women

Leeds United Women: Joyce, Bass, Hunter (Trickett 46), Hamill (C)(Smart 75), Smart (Hewson 46), Underdown (K Hunt 28), Smith (Underdown 65), Danby, Williams (Brown 65) (Williams 90), Brown (Orr 38), Bartup (Hunter 75)

Derby County Women: Clarke, Tinsley, Jackson, Ward, Trialist A, Domineo (Trialist B 46), Formaston, Joyce (Domineo 69), Hamilton, Gilliatt, Michalska (Rai 46)

Venue: Global Stadium

Referee: D Ward