Cardiff City U21s beat the mighty Leeds 3-1
Well done to the development team, going up to Elland Road and ending Leeds unbeaten record
NEWS
U21S REPORT: CARDIFF CLAIM ER VICTORY
United youngsters suffer 3-1 defeat at Elland Road...
PUBLISHED 06 APRIL 2016
Our Under-21s saw their four-game unbeaten run brought to a halt after suffering a 3-1 defeat at home to Cardiff City on Wednesday evening.
Several first-team squad members were named in the starting line-up for the Professional Development League 2 fixture at a wet and windy Elland Road, with Scottish forward Lee Erwin the first to threaten as his strike on the turn was blocked inside the opening two minutes.
The best opportunity of the early exchanges, however, fell to the visitors – defender Semi Ajayi rising highest inside the United area to meet a floated free-kick from the right, only to tower his header over Eric Grimes’ crossbar from little more than six yards out.
Cardiff soon created another dangerous opening, with Theo Wharton’s low cross from the left just poked wide from close-range by Macauley Southam, before Bluebirds goalkeeper Luke O’Reilly was called upon for the first time to clutch a powerful Jake Skelton header following a corner on 15 minutes.
The United youngsters were starting to see more of the ball and were unfortunate not to take an early lead through Jack McKay, the striker dragging a low effort wide from the edge of the Cardiff area after being slotted through the middle. His brother, defender Paul McKay, was next to attempt to force an opening from Kalvin Phillips’ corner, but his bullet header bounced agonisingly wide of O’Reilly’s near post.
Phillips and Jordan Botaka both tried their luck from range but to no avail, their efforts sailing high and wide, while Wharton glanced wide from a Cardiff corner in an evenly-matched opening half hour.
United’s corners were posing a major threat to the Cardiff defence, and another Phillips delivery almost resulted in the deadlock being broken after 35 minutes as Skelton scooped a half-volley over the crossbar from 10 yards out.
Phillips drilled wide from distance on the stroke of half-time, but there was nothing to separate the two sides going into the break despite a lively opening 45 minutes.
The second period began in a similar fashion and United should have opened the scoring within two minutes of the restart. Jack McKay’s neat flick cut apart the Cardiff defence to allow Erwin to race through on goal, only for his low finish to come back off the post and into the path of McKay, who blazed the rebound over.
Cardiff took their turn to be denied by the woodwork four minutes later, Jordan Blaise rattling the crossbar with a dipping half-volley, before the visitors managed to find the first goal of the night on 54 minutes as Kadeem Harris raced through on goal to fire beyond Grimes.
The Bluebirds were buoyed by their opener and pushed for a quick-fire second, with Blaise seeing his strike blocked before Tom James hit a low free-kick well wide.
Grimes then produced a fine save down to his left to deny Rhys Healey’s long-range effort but the United goalkeeper, who was among the substitutes for the Championship clash with Queens Park Rangers 24 hours earlier at Elland Road, was unable to deny the Cardiff man from doubling their advantage moments later with a close-range finish.
And the visitors were able to add a third within just six minutes to all but ensure the three points would be returning with them to South Wales, as Robbie Patten’s low strike found the bottom corner after the midfielder had twisted his way into space inside the United area.
Substitute Frank Mulhern, a second-half replacement for Botaka, attempted to restore some pride for the hosts with a strike that whistled over after cutting inside of the Cardiff defence, before Jack McKay did manage to get United on the scoresheet after 75 minutes, glancing Tyler Denton’s cross from deep beyond O’Reilly to pull one back.
Mulhern and Jack McKay were both denied by the Cardiff ‘keeper as United chased a second goal which would have seen the game return to a contest in the closing stages, but the visitors held firm to claim a largely comfortable victory in West Yorkshire.
Under-21s team vs Cardiff City: Grimes, Purver, P McKay, Skelton, Denton, Phillips, Vieira (Stokes 55), Sloth, Botaka (Mulhern 66), Erwin, J McKay. Subs not used: Huffer, Vann, Lyman.
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