18-07-09: Glentoran (a) 3-1 (HT 2-0) Crowd (4,329)

Programme:

On 18th July 2009, United moved from the capital of the Republic to the capital of Northern Ireland as they found many supporters in Belfast for the game with Glentoran. After playing a full game in Dublin, Casper Ankergren gave way to Shane Higgs and Alan Martin, as the latter and Enoch Showumni were passed fit for the game. United lined up: Shane Higgs; Andy Hughes, Lubomir Michalik, Paul Huntington, Ben Parker; Robert Snodgrass, Fabian Delph, Jonathan Howson, Andy Robinson; Jermaine Beckford, Luciano Becchio. However, most of the squad were given a run at some point in the match. United went straight on the attack with Luciano Becchio almost through on goal soon after the kick-off and there was a scrambled home defence to prevent Robert Snodgrass from crossing to a well-placed Jermaine Beckford. A shot from Andy Robinson was blocked and then home keeper Elliott Morris was forced into a seventh minute save by Jermaine Beckford, as United started brightly. The home team made its first raid but Ben Parker was on hand to block. It was United who took the lead after just fifteen minutes, when Robert Snodgrass found space just outside the box to rifle the ball home with a fine finish. The lead could soon have been doubled but first Jermaine Beckford saw his shot smothered by the keeper and then Andy Robinson put the ball over the bar. United were well on top and Luciano Becchio threatened, while Paul Huntington had a shot blocked. The home side were not out of it by any means and on the half hour Richard Clarke was wide with a shot from the edge of the box. The game was starting to drift towards half time but Luciano Becchio, rekindled everyone's interest as he hit the bar with a header from an Andy Hughes cross. This was followed, in injury time, by Jermaine Beckford beating the offside trap and racing thirty yards before rounding the goalkeeper and putting the ball into the roof of the net to send United into half-time with a 2-0 lead. The second half started with Aidan White on for Ben Parker and Tom Lees replacing Paul Huntington, and it was Shane Higgs that was soon called into action as he saved low to his left, while at the other end Andy Robinson had a shot pushed round the post by the Glentoran keeper. However on the fifty-eight minute mark Glentoran pulled the game back to 2-1 as Andy Hall played in Grant Gardiner who beat Shane Higgs with a shot into the top corner of the net. This was the sign for United to ring the changes and Enoch Showumni came on for Robert Snodgrass and Bradley Johnson replaced Fabian Delph. they were followed in the sixty-sixth minute by David Prutton for Jonathan Howson and Alan Sheehan for Andy Robinson, and one minute later Mike Grella replaced Jermaine Beckford. Alan Sheehan was soon into the action as he tested the replacement Glentoran keeper, James Taylor, from long range, but the keeper had no chance as Bradley Johnson met a low cross from Mike Grella in the seventy-fifth minute, but it went just wide. Luciano Becchio then made way for Tom Elliott and five minutes later Alan Martin took over between the sticks from Shane Higgs and Liam Darville replace Andy Hughes, leaving Lubomir Michalik as the only starter remaing on the pitch by the eightieth minute. Just two minutes later the fresh legs paid dividends as Enoch Showumni seized upon a defensive error to beat the advancing James Taylor. Mike Grella was a little unfortunate not to get his name on the scoresheet, when he skilfully fashioned a good opening, but was denied by an acrobatic save from the Glentoran keeper as United were good value for their first pre-season win at the third attempt. John McKnight of Belfast was the Referee and there was a lot of support for Leeds in the crowd of 4,329. The home side also made many changes with Goalkeeper James Taylor, defenders Sean Ward, Craig Harris and William McBurney, midfielders Shane McCabe, Grant Gardiner, Andy Hall and Jimmy Callacher and forwards Michael Halliday, Matthew Burrows and Sean Southam all getting a run.