04-08-12: Preston North End (a) 3-1 (HT 2-0) Crowd (6,529)

Patrick Kisnorbo made his comeback for his first pre-season game and Paddy Kenny, who was appointed captain, and Luciano Becchio also came back after overcoming minor injuries.There was a large Leeds contingent of over 2,500 in the 6,529 crowd as Darren Bond of Lancashire had the whistle and after a series of showers just before kick-off the game started in sunshine on a superb looking pitch. There were two former Leeds players, Paul Huntington and Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, in the home line-up. It was the home side that started brightly and United had to do some early defending, but it was United who created the first oppurtunity when Luke Varney forced Thorsten Stuckmann to a good save after five minutes. Stuckmann got down well to save from Luciano Becchio and then had to stretch to turn a Ross McCormack shot over the bar. At the other end Paddy Kenny was called into action on several occasions as Preston proved to be United's strongest opposition to date in the pre-season, his best effort was when he saved low down from John Mousinho. Patrick Kisnorbo was withdrawn after thirty minutes, being replaced by Sam Byram, who took over the right-back spot as Tom Lees moved into central defence alongside Jason Pearce. Ross McCormack had a free-kick deflected for a corner, which was well saved by Thorsten Stuckmann, but chances were few in the first half hour. This changed in the thirty-first minute as Tom Lees showed great skill to control the ball just inside the penalty area before turning on the swivel and getting in a shot on the volley that beat the keeper. United showed good defensive skill and cohesion to keep the scoresheet blank as they went to the break one goal to the good. On the resumption, both sides chose not to make changes and the Preston keeper made an easy catch from Luke Varney as the half got underway and the home side started to pressurize the Leeds defence only for Jack King to fire a shot well off target. However, twelve minutes into the half John Mousinho scored with a good shot from just inside the area to level the scores. On the hour mark Leeds made a triple substitution with Danny Pugh replacing Michael Brown, Adam Drury coming on for Ross McCormack and Andy Gray taking the place of Luciano Becchio. A minute later Preston did the same as Jeffrey Monakana came on for Nicky Wroe in midfield and Sam Winnall replaced Jack King and Akpoeyere Sodje took over from Chris Beardsley as strikers. Just five minutes later Leeds were back in the lead as Sam Byram got his first Leeds goal with a strong shot after a good corner from Paul Green. Preston came back and almost equalized immediately but Paddy Kenny was equal to a header from Paul Huntington. After seventy nine minutes John Welsh replaced Keith Keane at right-back, but a minute later good work from David Norris, saw Aidan White beat keeper Thorsten Stuckmann with a fine shot. Leeds then sent on Dominic Poleon for Paul Green and Zac Thompson for David Norris. Five minutes later they sent on Robbie Rogers for Aidan White and with two minutes left Nathan Turner replaced Luke Varney. This left Lewis Turner and Jamie Ashdown Unused on the Leeds bench and right-back Chris Robertson, left-back Bailey Wright, midfielders Matty James and Will Hayhurst and strikers Graham Cummins and Chris Holroyd unused on the Preston bench. Preston did not give up and Lee Holmes saw his shot deflected past the left upright and after John Mousinho had laid of Joel Byrom's corner, Jeffrey Monakana rattled the crossbar, but in the end Leeds held on to their two goal margin.

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