01-08-12: Sandefjord (a) 1-1 (HT 1-0) Crowd (?)

Neil Warnock stuck to his preferred starting eleven, but not entirely, as he gave a debut to new signing David Norris in place of Michael Brown, who dropped to the bench. He also gave the captain's armband to Ross McCormack. He knew his charges were in for a tough test after safely negotiating a series of easy fixtures in their pre-season build up. The Norwegian team were sitting second in their League, the second tier of Norwegian Football, which was in mid-season. It was the second successive season they had played the fixture, with the previous result being a dour 1-1 draw. He would have been expecting a similar performance from the opposition this time. Leeds started the game well and both Adam Drury and Luke Varney went close in the opening quarter of an hour. Adam Drury had benefited after Ross McCormack led the home defence a merry dance and the full-back also got in a good cross which was sliced away by a home defender and finished not too far off target. Indeed it was United that took the lead after seventeen minutes when Jason Pearce headed home from a Ross McCormack corner. Luke Varney was close once more shortly after Leeds had taken the lead. Leeds kept pressing and Ross McCormack was again the provider as Andy Gray headed wide from one of his free-kicks, while new-boy David Norris was showing up well and almost released Andy Gray on goal. Just past the half hour mark Luke Varney got in a good cross to Ross McCormack but the Scotsman's shot was blocked. as the game wore on, the home side started to dominate the midfield and Leeds were subject to much pressure as they pressed for an equalizer before the break. United made two changes in the half-time break with Danny Pugh coming on for Adam Drury at left-back and Michael Brown re-enforcing midfield in place of Andy Gray. Sandefjord had held back several of their first choice players and had goalkeepers Tomi Maanoja and Stian Johannessen, Central Defenders Peter Magnusson and Yaw Ihle Amankwah, Midfielders Kristoffer Normann Hansen, Tobias Jacobsen, Henrik Gustavsen, Peter Langensteiner, Christer Hansen and Erik Andre Lamoy and forwards Kristian Klepaker, Martin Brekke and Tobias Hem on the bench and like United they rotated their squad. The hosts got back into the game just seven minutes into the second half when Kristian Klepaker ran onto a very good through ball and scored with a great finish which gave Jamie Ashdown no chance. But, after the equalizer, the standard of football deteriorated noticably and poor challanges became frequent and chances were few and far between. After sixty-eight minutes Sam Byram replaced Tom Lees at right-back and Dominic Poleon came on for Ross McCormack. Jamie Ashdown was called upon to make one good save from Martin Torp with fifteen minutes left on the clock, and four minutes later Leeds made another double substitution with Robbie Rogers replacing Aidan White on the right-wing and Zac Thompson replacing Paul Green in midfield and then two minutes later they made their final change as Nathan Turner replaced David Norris in midfield. Goalkeeper Alex Cairns and Defender Lewis Turner remained unused on the Leeds bench. Dominic Poleon did pose a threat to the home goal when he got in a good strike on the turn but the home keeper was equal to the task and the score finished 1-1.

Programme & Teamsheet:

Match Reports & Ticket: Courtesy Mark Ledgard