07-08-12: Burton Albion (a) 1-0 (HT 1-0) Crowd (3,127)

There were debuts for Lee Peltier and Rodolph Austin in the final pre-season friendly, with Peltier coming in at right-back and Tom Lees partnering Jason Pearce in central defence while Austin joined David Norris in central midfield. The home side had several trialists in their ranks and included young Derby County defender Chris Jones and midfield player Floribert N’Galula, an ex-Manchester United trainee who had played in Belgium, America and Germany, together with former Bristol Rovers centre half Byron Anthony and winger Dean Morgan, who listed Chesterfield among his previous clubs. Austin was involved in the early stages of a move that saw Jason Pearce have a shot which seemed to take a deflection, but the referee did not agree. Luciano Becchio hit a pass a little to hard for David Norris to take advantage of it as Leeds started to dominate possession. They were close when Ross McCormacks' well flighted corner was met by a firm header from Lee Peltier which was just off target in the twenty-fifth minute. Two minutes later the visitors finally took the lead when Luke Varney found space inside the home penalty area and despite claims for handball from the home defenders put the ball into the net. There were also claims that Varney had baulked Jones in a tussle at the far post, but referee Oliver Langford saw nothing wrong as the striker tucked a low shot inside the upright. Despite their dominance Leeds could not add to their lead before half-time and the hosts continued to put on a spirited show to thwart their efforts. Billy Kee tested Paddy Kenny with a twenty-five yard effort in the thirty-fifth minute and on the stroke of half-time the keeper was in the action once more as he saved from Dean Morgan who got in a low drive after a mazy dribble, but there was little else to whet the appetite of the crowd. Burton made the only change in the half-time break when they brought on Matt Paterson for Justin Richards in the striking role and the former Southampton striker immediately squandered a chance to put the home side level, when a rare lapse in the Leeds defence left him with a free shot twelve yards out but he shot straight at Kenny. At the other end, Dean Lyness had to make an athletic save to spare Marcus Holness the ignominy of heading into his own net. just past the hour mark the home side brought on Cleveland Taylor in the place of Billy Kee. The contest was starting to get more even, with Leeds being made to work much harder to protect their lead, but Jason Pearce went close to increasing that lead with a header in the sixty-second minute. A succession of substitutions soon followed when in the sixty-seventh minute Leeds sent on Jamie Ashdown for Paddy Kenny in goal, Patrick Kisnorbo for Lee Peltier and Sam Byram for Jason Pearce in defence and Andy Gray for Luciano Becchio and Michael Brown for Ross McCormack up front. While Burton sent on Nathan Stanton for Aaron Webster and Matty Palmer for Floribert N'Galula. In the seventy-second minute Danny Pugh came on for Rodolph Austin and seven minutes later Burton sent on young striker Evan Garnett forthe last thirteen minutes to try and make some sort of impression as he replaced Dean Morgan in a wide midfield position. Young substitute Sam Byram almost crowned his cameo appearance with a superb goal as he showed instant control down the right before cutting back inside Jones, now occupying the left back role, and volleying beyond the far post from just inside the box. With ten minutes left Robbie Rogers replaced Luke Varney for Leeds while Jack Green, another product of the home club's youth programme, made a late appearance replacing triallist Chris Jones with six minutes to go, which left goalkeeper Ross Atkins and defender Damien McCrory unused on the home bench. Although Leeds continued to press they could not score again and ended up winning the game courtesy of Varney's first half strike.

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