Post by Taxigirl on Jul 27, 2005 8:09:08 GMT
www.leedsunited.com
Frazer Richardson hit a sparkling equaliser and Ian Bennett saved a penalty as Leeds came away with a 1-1 draw from their latest pre-season friendly against Grimsby Town.
It was a mixed performance by United with a completely new back four to the one that held Celtic to a 0-0 draw on Sunday, and the combination of Kilgallon, Carlisle, Crainey and Richardson had been opened up more often by Grimsby. The likes of Paul Butler, Sean Gregan, Dan Harding and Gary Kelly had the night off, whilst David Healy was on paternity leave, celebrating the birth of his son.
Leeds had nearly all the possession in the first ten minutes but were not able to find a finish for any of the half dozen or so chances they created.
Jermaine Wright had the first attempt on goal with a 20-yard shot that sailed narrowly over and then Gylfi Einarsson had a header go just wide from a Frazer Richardson cross.
United missed a sitter though when Stephen Crainey swung a ball into the middle of the penalty area and Einarsson stabbed it towards goal but it ran wide with Michael Ricketts just inches away from getting a crucial connection on the ball.
All the pressure came to nothing though and it was the home side that took the lead with virtually their first proper attack on 12 minutes.
Former Sunderland man Michael Reddy found himself with Matthew Kilgallon and Clarke Carlisle to beat and both centre-halves missed their tackles and Reddy was able to spring clear and clip the ball past Bennett, just going in off the right hand post.
Straight from the restart Eddie Lewis smashed a drive into the side netting and then the USA international played a clever ball in to Robbie Blake but the striker couldn't keep his shot down as he hit it on the turn.
Another chance fell when Wright was teed up for the shot from the edge of the area by Crainey, the winger was closer with the curling shot this time but the ball still missed the target.
On 24 minutes Leeds did get the equaliser they deserved and it was a superb effort from Frazer Richardson to boot.
Shaun Derry played his part in the build up by playing the ball out wide for Richardson to run onto and the winger took his man on, beat the defender comfortably and curled a left footed shot into the far top hand corner of the net from the edge of the area.
The goal came nearly a year since his first for the club on the opening day of last season against Derby County.
Grimsby came close to restoring their lead when Tom Newey, a former United trainee, had Bennett stretching to try and get a hand to his curled shot from the edge of the penalty area after a headed clearance from Carlisle went straight to the left-back.
Kevin Blackwell stuck with his same XI after half-time and it was a familiar pattern at the start of the second half to the start of the first, with Leeds again applying bfall the pressure. Ricketts volleyed a Wright cross wide for the best of the opening chances.
Grimsby were presented with a great chance to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty on 55 minutes.
Gylfi Einarsson clipped midfielder Paul Bolland as he broke into the area and the referee had little hesitation in pointing to the spot when Bolland tumbled.
United fans are no stranger to penalty save heroics thanks to Neil Sullivan's exploits last season, and it appears they could be in for more of the same as Ian Bennett staked his claim for the No.1 spot with his first penalty save for Leeds.
Tom Newey took the spot kick but Bennett got down well to his left hand side to turn the low drive away and survived the melee that followed as Grimsby tried to bundle the ball over the line. The Mariners though have a problem with penalties, having only scored one in nine last season.
Einarsson nearly made up for conceding the penalty when he stabbed a cross goalwards, but his shot was cleared off the line.
Kevin Blackwell made a quadruple substitution just after the hour mark with Danny Pugh, Matthew Spring, Simon Walton and Ian Morris coming on for Wright, Derry, Lewis and Blake.
Chances were limited for both sides after the rash of substitutions, Ricketts had an effort go wide and Grimsby made a late charge to try and nick the win but the young Leeds backline held firm.
A good 3,559 watched, with Leeds fans making up nearly half of that total.
United: Bennett, Richardson, Carlisle, Kilgallon, Crainey, Wright (Spring 65), Derry (Walton 65), Lewis (Pugh 65), Einarsson, Blake (Ian Morris 65), Ricketts.
Frazer Richardson hit a sparkling equaliser and Ian Bennett saved a penalty as Leeds came away with a 1-1 draw from their latest pre-season friendly against Grimsby Town.
It was a mixed performance by United with a completely new back four to the one that held Celtic to a 0-0 draw on Sunday, and the combination of Kilgallon, Carlisle, Crainey and Richardson had been opened up more often by Grimsby. The likes of Paul Butler, Sean Gregan, Dan Harding and Gary Kelly had the night off, whilst David Healy was on paternity leave, celebrating the birth of his son.
Leeds had nearly all the possession in the first ten minutes but were not able to find a finish for any of the half dozen or so chances they created.
Jermaine Wright had the first attempt on goal with a 20-yard shot that sailed narrowly over and then Gylfi Einarsson had a header go just wide from a Frazer Richardson cross.
United missed a sitter though when Stephen Crainey swung a ball into the middle of the penalty area and Einarsson stabbed it towards goal but it ran wide with Michael Ricketts just inches away from getting a crucial connection on the ball.
All the pressure came to nothing though and it was the home side that took the lead with virtually their first proper attack on 12 minutes.
Former Sunderland man Michael Reddy found himself with Matthew Kilgallon and Clarke Carlisle to beat and both centre-halves missed their tackles and Reddy was able to spring clear and clip the ball past Bennett, just going in off the right hand post.
Straight from the restart Eddie Lewis smashed a drive into the side netting and then the USA international played a clever ball in to Robbie Blake but the striker couldn't keep his shot down as he hit it on the turn.
Another chance fell when Wright was teed up for the shot from the edge of the area by Crainey, the winger was closer with the curling shot this time but the ball still missed the target.
On 24 minutes Leeds did get the equaliser they deserved and it was a superb effort from Frazer Richardson to boot.
Shaun Derry played his part in the build up by playing the ball out wide for Richardson to run onto and the winger took his man on, beat the defender comfortably and curled a left footed shot into the far top hand corner of the net from the edge of the area.
The goal came nearly a year since his first for the club on the opening day of last season against Derby County.
Grimsby came close to restoring their lead when Tom Newey, a former United trainee, had Bennett stretching to try and get a hand to his curled shot from the edge of the penalty area after a headed clearance from Carlisle went straight to the left-back.
Kevin Blackwell stuck with his same XI after half-time and it was a familiar pattern at the start of the second half to the start of the first, with Leeds again applying bfall the pressure. Ricketts volleyed a Wright cross wide for the best of the opening chances.
Grimsby were presented with a great chance to take the lead when they were awarded a penalty on 55 minutes.
Gylfi Einarsson clipped midfielder Paul Bolland as he broke into the area and the referee had little hesitation in pointing to the spot when Bolland tumbled.
United fans are no stranger to penalty save heroics thanks to Neil Sullivan's exploits last season, and it appears they could be in for more of the same as Ian Bennett staked his claim for the No.1 spot with his first penalty save for Leeds.
Tom Newey took the spot kick but Bennett got down well to his left hand side to turn the low drive away and survived the melee that followed as Grimsby tried to bundle the ball over the line. The Mariners though have a problem with penalties, having only scored one in nine last season.
Einarsson nearly made up for conceding the penalty when he stabbed a cross goalwards, but his shot was cleared off the line.
Kevin Blackwell made a quadruple substitution just after the hour mark with Danny Pugh, Matthew Spring, Simon Walton and Ian Morris coming on for Wright, Derry, Lewis and Blake.
Chances were limited for both sides after the rash of substitutions, Ricketts had an effort go wide and Grimsby made a late charge to try and nick the win but the young Leeds backline held firm.
A good 3,559 watched, with Leeds fans making up nearly half of that total.
United: Bennett, Richardson, Carlisle, Kilgallon, Crainey, Wright (Spring 65), Derry (Walton 65), Lewis (Pugh 65), Einarsson, Blake (Ian Morris 65), Ricketts.