16-07-11: Sheffield Wednesday (a) 1-1 (HT 0-1) Crowd (9,028)

Programme:

There was a visit to Hillsborough on 23rd July 2012 for United's fourth pre-season friendly against Sheffield Wednesday, with Patrick Kisnorbo the only one of the injured to be ready for the action, but Lloyd Sam was on the bench. There was a further trialist, Twenty-nine year old Hungarian International left back/winger Boldiszar Bodor, who was named amongst the substitutes with Isaiah Osbourne, while Alexandre Mendy again made the starting XI as Simon Grayson seemed to have found his preferred team which lined up: Paul Rachubka; Paul Connolly, Patrick Kisnorbo, Leigh Bromby and Ben Parker; Adam Clayton and Michael Brown; Max Gradel, Ramon Nunez and Alexandre Mendy with Billy Paynter up front, in front of a crowd of 9,028, with the Leeds fans, as usual, well represented. United played in their new Black pin-striped away kit and were given an early scare when a long throw was hooked into the danger area for Chris Sedgewick to head against the cross-bar. In a quick response Alexandre Mendy released Max Gradel whose shot was deflected for a corner. It was Wednesday who did take the lead after just eight minutes when ex-Leeds favourite David Prutton cut in from the left to beat Paul Rachubka with a superb strike. Just four minutes later there was more bad news for United as Ben Parker limped from the action after being the subject of an over-robust challenge and this gave Boldiszar Bodor an early chance to impress. Mendy was again impressing and he linked up well with Adam Clayton, who had also shown up well in the friendlies to date. David Prutton seemed to think he had a point to prove to Simon Grayson, who had frozen him out of the picture while at Elland Road and won a free-kick on the edge of the Leeds penalty area, which Jermaine Johnson took and it was defended at the expense of a corner from which his second shot was also blocked. As the half hour approached Ramon Nunez watched his dipping shot beat goalkeeper Nicky Weaver only to pass over the bar, while Jermaine Johnson and Padraig Amond went close for the home side and Alexandre Mendy shot into the side-netting and Max Gradel saw his teasing cross scrambled away for a corner. With half-time approaching Alexandre Mendy crossed the ball from the right wing but Billy Paynter shot wide. There were only two half-time changes by United with Ross McCormack replacing Billy Paynter as striker and Lloyd Sam came on for Ramon Nunez and the home side limited themselves to just one change as James O'Connor replaced Lewis Buxton. McCormack's first involvement ended with him shooting wide. But United almost levelled the scores after fifty-one minutes as Paul Connolly found Max Gradel who played in Lloyd Sam and the former Charlton and Wednesday man watch as his shot beat Nicky Weaver only to thump against the post and rebound to safety.Wednesday made their second change after fifty-seven minutes when Daniel Jones replaced Padraig Amond. The game then descended into a series of incidents which saw the referee first lecture Max Gradel and Jermaine Johnson, who had instigated a melee involving several players from both sides, and then Michael Brown and Jose Semedo were involved in another altercation which saw the referee calling up Patrick Kisnorbo, as the Leeds captain, to give the teams their final warnings. Isaiah Osbourne was introduced in place of Michael Brown after sixty-seven minutes and Max Gradel forced a good stop from Nicky Weaver and Jermaine Johnson headed clear as Alexandre Mendy crossed the ball back into the danger area. Aidan White replaced Alexandre Mendy after seventy-four minutes and one minute later it was Jermaine Johnson who was narrowly wide with a shot that had beaten Paul Rachubka and just over with another effort. However, with eight minutes left on the clock Max Gradel was upended in the box and after dusting himself down scored from the resulting penalty. Alex Bruce replaced Leigh Bromby after eighty-five minutes and Alex Cairns, Tom Lees, Nathan and Lewis Turner, Charlie Taylor and Zac Thompson remained unused on the bench for Leeds and goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell, defender Mark Beevers and Cente Back Mark Reynolds similarly remained unused for Wednesday as the draw preserved Leeds' four match unbeaten run in the friendlies.