26-07-08: Barnet (a) 2-0 (HT 1-0) Crowd (2,644)

Underhill Stadium, home of Barnet, was the next stop for Leeds after their successful tour of Ireland had yielded them two wins and a draw. With Jermaine Beckford and Bradley Johnson sidelined by injury, there was another chance for trialist Luciano Becchio, youngster Fabian Delph and Andy Robinson were back after injury as United lined up: Casper Ankergren; Frazer Richardson, Rui Marques, Paul Huntington, Alan Sheehan; Andy Hughes, Jonathan Howson, Fabian Delph, Andy Robinson; Enoch Showunmi, Luciano Becchio. United started by playing up the step sloping pitch and Andy Robinson had a shot blocked before two minutes had elapsed, but Barnet showed they were not going to be pushovers as United scrambled away their corner as they responded. It was Luciano Becchio who was proving to be an awkward customer as he shot over and then on fifteen minutes forced the Barnet keeper to an excellent save to deny him from opening his account. However it was the lively Andy Robinson who gave Leeds the lead after thirty-six minutes, with a powerful strike from the edge of the penalty box. It was the former Swansea City schemer that also fashioned an opening for Luciano Becchio to shoot wide from one of his defence splitting passes and right on half time it was Robinson again who tested the keeper with a curling shot. The travelling fans were given more to cheer about just four minutes after the interval as Jonathan Howson doubled United’s lead as he broke through the centre on the downhill slope and picked his spot to give the Barnet keeper no chance. Paul Telfer came on for Frazer Richardson after fifty-six minutes, while Lubomir Michalike replaced Paul Huntington twelve minutes later, followed by Scott Gardner for Luciano Becchio on sixty-eight minutes and finally trialist Marcus Haber was on for Enoch Showunmi a minute later. On the hour mark Albert Adomah had tested Casper Ankergren and then Adam Burchill should have doine better when presented with a free header inside the six yard area. Soon after Ankergren was again in action as he made a good block to keep out a strong shot from the edge of the area. United started playing possession football and kept the ball for long spells but allowed Lubomir Michalik to push forward and he saw his shot deflected away from the net. Andy Hughes too saw a shot blocked and Marcus Haber could not get through the crowded Barnet defence as he looked to score from the rebound and then saw another shot deflected over the bar as Leeds won 2-0 with ease. David Lucas, David Prutton, Jonathan Douglas, Peter Sweeney, Robert Bayly, Ben Parker and Alan Martin all remained unused on the bench. The Barnet substitutes were goalkeeper Ran Kadoch, defender Jeremy De Magalhaes, Midfielders Max Porter, Kieron St Aimie and Joe Tabiri and forward Luke Medley. Barnet did have a chance to reduce the arrears in the final minute when Cliff Akurang was through but he shot high and wide of the target.

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Ticket: Courtesy Mark Ledgard