There were two games played on 15th July 2015 and therefore a more settled team was evident and at Bootham Crecent against League Two side York City as United played their stronger team and lined up: Ross Turnbull; Gaetano Berardi, Giuseppe Bellusci, Souleymane Bamba, Charlie Taylor; Sam Byram, Lewis Cook, Tommaso Bianchi, Alex Mowatt; Lee Erwin, Steve Morison. Ross Turnbull made his Leeds debut. Twenty-One-Year-old full-back trialist Adam Drury was given his Leeds debut when he replaced Lee Erwin after fifty-six minutes, Scott Wootton replaced Gaetano Berardi after seventy-two minutes and Nicky Ajose came on for Alex Mowatt five minutes later. Chris Wood had been in the original line-up but got a knock in the warm-up and Steve Morison took his place. Sam Byram gave Leeds the lead after thirty-five minutes when Alex Mowatt sent a perfect cross to the far post and the right midfielder headed in from close range. United led until the eightieth minute when against the run of play Marvin McCoy tapped home at the far post after a cross from Anthony Straker. The unused Leeds substitutes were Charlie Horton, Alex Purver and Chris Dawson. York City made several substitutions, at half-time they brought on goalkeeper Michael Ingham for Scott Flinders, in the fifty-seventh minute there was a double change as Anthony Straker replaced Josh Carson and Reece Thompson came on for Danny Johnson. Five minutes later there were two more as Ben Godfrey replaced James Berrett and Callum Rzonca came on for Vadaine Oliver. In the sixty-sixth minute Ferni Ilesanmi replaced John McCombe, two minutes later Tom Platt came on for Russell Penn and finally in the seventy-firstr minute Taron Hare replaced Keith Lowe. Ben Hirst, and Lindon Meikle were also on the bench but remained unused. Uwe Rosler was in charge of this game while in the alternate game at Tadcaster Albion Rob Kelly and Richard Harris were in charge and several other first team aspirants got valuable playing time. Marco Silvestri, Liam Cooper, Billy Sharp and Mirco Antenucci were amongst them. Trialist Player A (Danny Johnson) was the first player to threaten the goal, but Giuseppe Bellusci managed to disposess him at the expense of a corner. United's first chance came in the eighteenth minute and it fell to the lively signing from Motherwell, Lee Erwin, who linked well down the left wing with Charlie Taylor, before cutting inside and getting in a low shot from distance, but it went straight into the arms of Harrogate keeper, Scott Flinders. Two minutes later United were again in the ascendency as Lewis Cook played Steve Morison in on goal, but Scott Flinders saved with his legs. Sam Byram was the next to test Scott Flinders with a shot from twenty-yards but soon afterwards it was York that should have netted as Trialist Player A (Danny Johnson) wastefully blazed a back-post volley well over Ross Turnbull's bar. The deadlock was finally broken when Sam Byram scored ten minutes before half-time with a back post header. United ended the half the more dominant team and good value for their lead. They started the second half in the same vein and could have increased their lead almost immediately but Steve Morison saw his chance go as York's substitute keeper, Michael Ingham, smothered at close range. United kept up the presure with Sam Byram shooting wide and then Gaetano Berardi shot straight at Michael Ingham from distance. After Adam Drury had replaced Lee Erwin, he was quickly into the action, as the York keeper was quick off his line to take the ball off his toes. He then tested hin with a low shot to the keeper's right before he rose at the back-post to head a Lewis Cook cross again forcing the keeper into a good stop. The keeper was also kept on his toes by Charlie Taylor, who forced him to push a curling shot round the post. He saved his best save to oneof his last when Alex Mowatt made a fine run and cross down the right flank, Steve Morison connected with a goalbound volley and the keeper responded by acrobatically tipping it over the bar. York managed to equalise ten minutes from tim, much against the run of play to earn a draw.
Programme & Teamsheet:
Match Report: By Barney Corkhill, Staff Reporter: 15-07-2015
Result: Leeds United pegged back by York City
York City scored a late equaliser to leave Leeds United still searching for their first win of pre-season this evening, playing out a 1-1 draw with their local rivals at Bootham Crescent. The visitors threatened first when a Lee Erwin strike from range was kept out by Scott Flinders, and the York keeper was in action again moments later to deny Steve Morison. Sam Byram was the next to try his luck from outside the area, but once again Flinders was equal to the task, collecting the ball at the second time of asking. Byram was fast becoming Leeds's most dangerous player on the night, and moments after having a penalty appeal turned down he broke the deadlock for the Championship club, nodding Alex Mowatt's cross home with 10 minutes remaining of the half. It was almost 2-0 in the opening exchanges of the second half when the ball fell to Morison inside the area, but Flinders was alert to smother the striker's effort from close range. The York keeper was then taken off for Michael Ingham, but the sub was no less busy as he watched a Byram shot fly wide and stopped a powerful strike from Gaetano Berardi within minutes of his introduction. Ingham was called into action again on the hour mark when triallist Adam Drury arrived at the back post to meet Lewis Cook's cross, only to see his effort saved. The sub shot-stopper continued to keep his side in it with saves from Charlie Taylor and Morison, and his efforts were rewarded at the other end with 10 minutes of the match remaining when York levelled things up against their local rivals through Marvin McCoy's back-post finish. Leeds could not find a response to that setback, leaving them with consecutive 1-1 draws from their two pre-season matches so far.
Match Report: York City: 15-07-2015
Late McCoy Strike Secures Leeds Draw
York City claimed a creditable 1-1 draw from their second pre-season friendly on Tuesday evening against Championship outfit Leeds United. After failing behind in the first half to Sam Byram’s header, City responded in the 80th minute through a well worked move, finished off by right back Marvin McCoy. Manager Russ Wilcox will be pleased with the resolute nature of the performance and will look forward to facing second tier opposition for the third time in a week when Sheffield Wednesday visit on Saturday afternoon. A ten minute delay to kick-off seemed to carry over into the game at a warm Bootham Crescent as it took until the 18th minute for either side to create an effort on goal, and even then, Lee Erwin’s shot for the visitors from 25 yards was comfortably dealt with by Scott Flinders. It served as a tester of the new shot-stopper’s reflexes though as minutes later Alex Mowatt played a defence splitting ball through to Steve Morision but Flinders was quick off his line to get his body in the way and divert the effort away from danger. The former Hartlepool United ‘keeper was starting to become busy but he was once again alert to the danger as he gathered Sam Byram’s rasping drive at the second attempt following a defensive error by the Minstermen. City were struggling to get a foothold in the game, although Oliver did well to fashion himself an opportunity just past the midway point of the half when he moved the ball onto his right foot and curled an effort goalwards, only to see it drop two yards over the bar. The Minstermen’s new striker played a part in the next positive move for the hosts but after flicking a long throw towards the far post, Player A could only blaze over into the sun-drenched away fans behind the goal. The pressure wasn’t to last however and in the 35th minute, and with the final meaningful action of the half, United stung with devastating effect as Alex Mowatt delivered a powerful cross to the far post where Byram easily headed home from two yards. Leeds carried their buoyancy into the second period and almost added to their advantage in the 47th minute when a corner was only half cleared to Morison at the far post who was thwarted from two yards by the block of Luke Summerfield positioned on the post. The away side were continuing to apply the pressure as Gaetano Berardi stung the palms of half time substitute goalkeeper Michael Ingham with an angled shot from 30 yards. The experienced shot-stopper was soon called into action minutes later when he did superbly well to deny Adam Drury from close range after the attacker raced in at the far post. Before the midway point of the second period, Wilcox introduced a number of players to the action as he looked for a route back into the encounter but City were struggling to create any sort of chance to unlock the opposition defence and if it wasn’t for the agile reflexes of Ingham in the 76th minute it would have most certainly have been two as the former Sunderland player pulled off a world class save to stop Morison at point blank range. As the half entered the latter stages however, the Minstermen did start to look more lively and with 10 minutes remaining they managed to pull themselves level. Straker worked his way into the box and after driving the ball across the six yard line, McCoy was on hand to poke home, much to the delight of the near full David Longhurst Stand. City finished the stronger of the two teams but in the end had to settle for a draw against Uwe Rosler’s outfit.
York City: Flinders (Ingham 45), McCoy, McCombe (Ilesanmi 67), Winfield, Lowe (Player B), Carson (Straker 57), Berrett (Godfrey 64), Penn (Platt 68), Summerfield, Oliver (Rzonca 64), Player A (Player C 57). Unused subs: Ben Hirst, Lindon Meikle
MATCH REPORT: Yorkshire Evening Post: 16-07-2014
York City 1 Leeds United 1: Rosler “irritated” by late equaliser
Uwe Rosler welcomed the return of Leeds United’s competitive edge in last night’s 1-1 draw at York City - but admitted he was “irritated” by the concession of a late equaliser. The club’s head coach gave a positive assessment of their second friendly of the summer, saying his side were “much more competitive” than they had been in last week’s stalemate at Harrogate Town. United struggled to get going in a 1-1 draw at Wetherby Road on Friday but they dominated York at Bootham Crescent, taking the lead through Sam Byram’s 35th-minute header. Rosler watched a string of chances go begging in the second half before City snatched a draw with an 80th-minute tap-in from Marvin McCoy, a rare opportunity created by the hosts. Rosler, who sent a different XI to a friendly at Tadcaster Albion yesterday, pushed seven players through 90 minutes and conceded that his side had suffered from fatigue late on. “There was a lot of good stuff,” Rosler said. “It was an unnecessary goal against us but you focus on the positive things. “The way we pressed was far more competitive than against Harrogate. We had a higher line and we were braver in our defending. In midfield we passed the ball occasionally very well. “I was happy with the chances we created and we should have won the game. The thing to learn from is that when we’re getting tired we have to keep it simple. It was understandable because it was our first 90 minutes but sometimes we over-complicated things and that cost us. “I’m just irritated that we didn’t win. In the end all coaches want to win. The defence were much better than against Harrogate but we couldn’t keep it up for 90 minutes.” Rosler adopted a 4-3-3 formation, using Byram and Lee Erwin either side of Steve Morison who stepped into the breach up front after Chris Wood was ruled out with a tight hamstring. Byram provided a constant attacking threat and claimed his goal after Alex Mowatt picked him out with a precise cross towards the far post. “Sam looked very good,” Rosler said. “The combination between him and (right-back Gaetano) Berardi was excellent. Sam looked very energetic throughout the whole 90 minutes and I was very happy. He scored, he could have had a couple more and he was very influential in our forward play.” Rosler was critical of Leeds’ attempt to master a 3-5-2 formation at Harrogate but said he would continue to work on alternative tactics during the club’s forthcoming tour of Austria, despite United looking comfortable in the system used at Bootham Crescent.
“The formation worked well but we will still try out other things,” Rosler said. “You always need a plan B. If what you’re doing is not working, you can’t throw something at the players which they’ve never tried. We’ll continuing developing the style of play.”
MATCH REPORT: Yorkshire Evening Post: Phil Hay: 15-07-2014:
York City 1 Leeds United 1: Plans hit by injury to striker Wood
Chris Wood was lost before a ball was kicked in York or nearby Tadcaster but most of the evening followed the script laid out by Uwe Rosler. United’s head coach was subjected to the worrying sight of Wood, his £3m signing from Leicester City, departing down the tunnel during the warm-up at Bootham Crescent and a tight hamstring prevented the striker from starting against York City. The call went instead to Steve Morison – named on the bench initially – and Leeds rode the disruption in the main, dominating York before passing up victory with a cheap concession 10 minutes from time. Rosler’s side appeared to be on course to register their first meaningful pre-season win while a younger United line-up were overrunning Tadcaster Albion a few miles away but an equaliser from Marvin McCoy gave York some late satisfaction. Injuries are a pet hate in pre-season and Rosler’s muted reaction to a mixed performance away at Harrogate Town last week was tempered by the avoidance of any fresh fitness problems after that fixture. But having sent Luke Murphy for knee surgery a fortnight ago, Wood’s last-minute withdrawal yesterday was a natural concern. The New Zealand international sat on the bench throughout the 1-1 draw in York and Rosler played down his condition afterwards, confirming that the striker will travel on tour to Austria later this week. “He’s not injured,” Rosler said. “He felt a little bit in his hamstring or felt something so we didn’t want to take any chances. “It’s a little irritating because he needs to get up to speed. He needs game minutes and he needs to get fit but it was precautionary.” Leeds were not clinical enough without Wood up front but they got the measure of York after 20 minutes and opened the scoring towards the end of the first half through a close-range header from Sam Byram. The League Two club were not allowed to alter the balance of the match until the closing stages and found United’s pressure suffocating as Rosler’s side opened up and stretched the contest. In Tadcaster, non-league Albion came under similar pressure. In staging two friendlies simultaneously, Rosler was careful not to give too much away. Numerous senior players were used against York but Marco Silvestri, Mirco Antenucci, Billy Sharp and Liam Cooper all travelled to Tadcaster and turned out in a 3-0 win. Antenucci, Sharp and Souleymane Doukara claimed the goals. Nonetheless, the side at Bootham Crescent looked reasonably close to a team that might be used in United’s first league game at home to Burnley on August 8. It was 4-3-3 in both matches yesterday and Rosler’s formation is likely to stay that way for a while after his side turned the screw on York. Leeds had toiled in a 3-5-2 system for 45 minutes at Harrogate on Friday, narrow at the back and picked open by Town more easily than Rosler would have liked.
Last night, Morison might have given United the lead before Byram, shooting against the legs of Scott Flinders after Lewis Cook slipped him in behind York’s defence, but the first half-hour was a period of limited precision and few chances. Leeds were suitably patient and the opening goal when it came was deadly. Lee Erwin fed Alex Mowatt down the left wing and Mowatt’s deep cross was a perfect as Byram’s hanging header. On the basis of Byram’s aerial ability, it is no surprise that Rosler sees merit in pushing him high up the pitch. Erwin and Byram played out wide, either side of Morison who took up the position where Rosler intended Wood to play. The German’s midfield might have benefited from the running of Tom Adeyemi, United’s new signing who was left out of both friendlies, but there was more control and purpose about their display than there had been at Harrogate. Morison almost scored from close range early in the second half and saw a goalbound volley saved late on. Trialist Adam Drury also threatened, his second attempt a downward header which substitute keeper Michael Ingham pushed behind. A decision on Drury, the former Manchester City trainee, is due before Leeds depart to Austria and the youngster gave Rosler something to ponder, working to good effect on the left wing. York were allowed to pinch an equaliser late on when Scott Wootton backed off from Anthony Straker and gave the winger space to tee-up a rare opportunity and a tap-in for McCoy.
MATCH REPORT: The 72: By Jonathan Brittain: 17-07-2015:
York City vs Leeds United Review
Leeds United are still looking for their first win under new manager Uwe Rossler after a 1-1 draw at Bootham Crescent. Because this was Leeds’ last match on home soil before playing Everton et Elland Road on the 2nd of August the kick off was delayed for 10 minutes due to crowd congestion outside the ground. Uwe Rossler brought new signing Ross Turnbull into the starting 11 even though he had only signed for the club hours before. There was another chage to the starting line up with Chris Wood being injured in the warm up so Steve Morison was brought into replace him. Chances were few and far between in the opening exchanges, with the hosts making the first attempt of goal, before a last ditch challenge from Guiseppe Bellusci stopped him. Leeds’ first chance on goal was when new signing Lee Erwin, who worked well with Charlie Taylor down the left hand side jinxed his way into the box before hitting the ball straight into Scott Flinders arms. With Leeds starting to see more of the ball it was looking more and more likely that they would break the deadlock. They did score on 35 minutes when Sam Byram met a Alex Mowatt cross, who had worked his way into the box and put in a perfect cross over the helpless Flinders to find Byram unmarked at the far post. Leeds were well in control at the start of the second half, with the York keeper being tested from Morison and Berardi. Rossler made his first change when he brought on trialist Adam Drury for Erwin, who straight away looked to put his mark on the game, he ran into the box only for the ball to be collected by the York keeper. The keeper was called upon many times in the second half, first tipping round a long rang effort from Charlie Taylor before acrobatically denying Morison his second in as many games with a brilliant volley from the Welshman. With basically York’s first attack of the second half came their equalising goal, a mistake on the right my Scott Wotton, being caught too far up field let in the York left winger who put the ball on a plate for Marvin McCoy. Again, I was ultimately impressed with how Leeds played, and made one mistake and York capitalised. I was impressed with last seasons crop of young players, Byram, Cook Mowatt and Taylor all looking sharp and 3/4 of them getting ninety minutes, only Mowatt begin substituted. New signing Turnbull had a relatively easy evening but when he was called upon he looked sharp, and could possibly challenge Marco Silvestri for the number 1 jersey. Lee Erwin was my man of the match, he made evasive runs in from the left hand side and had some tricky footwork for the York defenders to deal with. He also linked up very well with Taylor. I was also impressed with the man who replaced him on the left wing, Drury. He again gave the York right back nightmares and could have had a couple of goals had it not been for the York keeper being on such good form. I hear a decision will be made on whether to offer Drury a contract today, I for one hope they give him a chance. With tougher tests coming up in Austria and Norway we will soon start to see the first team Uwe Rossler wants to play, and I hate to tempt fate but with the loan signing of Tom Adeyemi I think the future could be looking bright for Leeds United.
