Match Report:Leeds 0-1 Cardiff

Cardiff extended their long unbeaten run against Leeds United with a 1-0 victory at Elland Road. Fraizer Campbell’s second-half tap-in separated the sides and left Leeds without a win over their rivals since 1984. Leeds dominated the first half and had a great chance to open the scoring through Ross Barkley.Leeds made a strong start to the second with Michael Brown slicing a shot over the crossbar moments after the restart. But Tommy Smith fired a far better chance wide at the other end after a neat through-ball from Kim Bo-Kyung and Cardiff began to come into the game for the first time. They took the lead on 64 minutes as Fraizer Campbell – introduced from the bench two minutes earlier – turned in Craig Bellamy’s volley after a poor clearance from Leeds right-back Sam Byram. United threw on new signing Habib Habibou for the final 17 minutes and they came close to snatching an equaliser when Tom Lees’ header forced David Marshall to punch the ball desperately off his goalline but City held on.

Lees earn England call up

Leeds United defender Tom Lees has been called up to the England Under-21 squad.

Lees has been added to Stuart Pearce's initial party for the forthcoming Euro 2013 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Norway.

The Young Lions are in Baku for their penultimate fixture of the campaign on Thursday before meeting the Scandinavian side at Chesterfield's Proact Stadium on Monday.

And Lees has been rewarded for his impressive performances in the Championship for Leeds by being added to the list of players which were originally selected.

The 21-year-old made the breakthrough into the Whites first-team last year after loan stints with Accrington and Bury and is now a key member of Neil Warnock's side.

Match Report : Blackpool 2-1 Leeds

Two goals in five minutes turned Leeds United's game at Bloomfield Road on its head after the Whites were leading.Centre-back Tom Lees celebrated his first start of the new season by heading home Ross McCormack's corner to give Leeds the start they wanted on 16 minutes.But Blackpool, who had more of the possession and created the better chances, hit back to score twice through Nouah Dicko and Martin Phillips in the last 15 minutes and ran out 2-1 winners to end United's unbeaten start to the season.Leeds were without knee injury victim Paul Green and brought in Lees in defence with Lee Peltier switching to left-back and Aidan White onto the right wing.Blackpool dominated the early stages and Paddy Kenny was forced into two saves to deny Tiago Gomes before Lees opened the scoring.Kenny continued to deny the hosts as he pulled off fine saves from efforts by Kevin Phillips and Alex Baptiste while former Leeds player Stephen Crainey hit a shot narrowly over.Blackpool came even closer early in the second half when Thomas Ince beat Kenny only to see his powerful shot hit the woodwork.Leeds came more into the game and Ross McCormack went close before Ince lifted a shot over at the other end.

El-Hadji Diouf came on for McCormack and Leeds went on the attack with Luciano Becchio's header forcing a good save from home keeper Matt Gilks.

But Blackpool finally got the goal they had threatened 15 minutes from time when Crainey's low pull back was finished off by Nouah Dicko.

Five minutes later they scored again as Ince got round young defender Sam Byram to the bye-line and pulled the ball back for Matt Phillips to score the winner.

It could have been 3-1 before the end as Ludovic Sylvestre hit the crossbar with a free-kick and Martin Phillips missed another chance.

United rarely threatened to hit back and ultimately could have few complaints about their defeat even if they had defended bravely until the final quarter.

Friendly : Preston 1 Leeds 3

Leeds United manager Neil Warnock welcomed Paddy Kisnorbo into his starting line-up for the first time during pre-season while Paddy Kenny and Luciano Becchio also returned from minor injuries to take their places in the starting line-up for the trip to Preston North End.Kisnorbo started alongside Jason Pearce at centre back and the defenders had some early work to do as Preston started brightly - but it was Leeds who almost went in front inside five minutes when Luke Varney forced a good save from Thorsten Stuckmann. Preston also had to clear a powerful ball into the middle before Tom Lees could convert at the far post.
Kenny, who was wearing the captain's armband on his return, had more work to do than on his previous appearances during the early exchanges as Preston proved the biggest threat of pre-season. Ross McCormack had a free-kick deflected for a corner on the half-hour and the subsequent set play forced a save out of Stuckmann, but there was litte in the way of clear cut chances or goalmouth action during the opening 30 minutes.The breakthrough came just moments after the half-hour, though, when central defender Tom Lees showed great skill to bring the ball down just inside the penalty area before swivelling and smashing home a volley past Stuckmann.United also made a change during the first half with Kisnorbo, on his first appearance since late last year, playing the opening half hour or so before being replaced by Sam Byram. Lees reverted to centre-back, alongside Pearce. The game was the best test yet of the defence in terms of work, and the manager will have been more than pleased with solidity shown.The second half started in similar vein. Stuckmann made an early catch from Varney, but the home side continued to put United under a little pressure. But when the hosts did work an opening Jack King screwed a shot high and wide. And equaliser did come, though, 12 minutes into the half when John Mousinho scored with a good strike from just inside the box.The hour mark saw a re-shuffle for Leeds with a triple substitution that saw Danny Pugh, Adam Drury, and Andy Gray all introduced to proceedings.And it was 2-1 to Leeds on 66 minutes when Sam Byram scored his first goal in a senior shirt, Paul Green supplied the corner and Byram converted with a sweetly struck effort in front of over 2,500 travelling Leeds fans.Preston did come close to levelling again within a minute, but Kenny got down well to claw away a stooping header.United added a third with 10 minutes remaining, though. David Norris did well before the ball fell to Aidy White who scored with yet another good strike to leave Stuckmann with no chance.

Leeds United Squad Numbers Announced

Leeds United have announced the squad numbers for the coming season with six new recruits figuring in the first 11 numbers.Paddy Kenny has been given the number one shirt, Adam Drury wears three, Jason Pearce will wear five, Paul Green gets the number seven shirt, Rodolph Austin will be eight, and Luke Varney has been allocated 11.Tom Lees also steps into the first 11 numbers with the number four shirt while Luciano Becchio retains the number 10.Aidan White will wear 14 for the new season while Andy Gray is 18 and David Norris 19. Michael Brown will wear number 21 this season and Zac Thompson has been given the number 23 shirt.
Ross McCormack will wear his favoured number 44.

1 PADDY KENNY
2 
3 ADAM DRURY 
4 TOM LEES 
5 JASON PEARCE 
6 
7 PAUL GREEN 
8 RODOLPH AUSTIN 
9 
10 LUCIANO BECCHIO 
11 LUKE VARNEY 
12 JAMIE ASHDOWN 
13 
14 AIDAN WHITE 
15 
16 DANNY PUGH 
17 
18 ANDY GRAY 
19 DAVID NORRIS 
20 
21 MICHAEL BROWN 
22 ROBBIE ROGERS 
23 ZAC THOMPSON
24 PAUL CONNOLLY
44 ROSS McCORMACK

Lees extends Leeds United Contract

Leeds United have agreed an extended contract with youngster Tom Lees.The 21-year-old has agreed terms on a deal to stay at Elland Road until 2016 after becoming a mainstay of the Leeds defence under both Neil Warnock and his predecessor Simon Grayson.Lees missed just five of United’s 50 games in 2011-12 and the new deal, his third in a couple of years after agreeing improved terms in both 2010 and last September, will bring his salary more in line with other senior members of the squad.The new contract is reward for an impressive year in the first team after two years on loan at Bury in League Two. He is expected to be fit to start the new campaign in August after recently undergoing surgery to repair the broken nose he suffered during the closing weeks of last season.

Leeds 1 Brighton 2

An injury-time goal from Alan Navarro handed Neil Redfearn his first defeat as Leeds United caretaker manager as the Whites lost 2-1 to Brighton at Elland Road.After a goalless first 75 minutes Saturday’s Npower Championship game exploded into life in the final quarter as Leeds went one down then hit back and appeared to have done enough to earn a point only for the late strike to leave them empty handed against one of their rivals for a play-off spot.There was little to choose between the teams, but United started well and should have been in front inside four minutes only for Luciano Becchio to head wide from a delicious Robert Snodgrass cross.The Whites were then denied a stonewall penalty on 12 minutes when Ross McCormack was felled in the box by Gordon Greer, but referee Graham Salisbury, who went on to have an awful game, denied the massive shout.Becchio headed over and McCormack was off target with a long range strike before Brighton finally got their first effort in on goal on 24 minutes, Navarro firing over from just inside the box.The visitors then showed why they were unbeaten in eight coming into the game as they had a good spell, but aside from a couple of straight forward saves for Andy Lonergan there was no huge threat on the home goal up to half-time.The second half got off to an exciting start as only desperate defence denied Becchio as he came in to meet a Snodgrass cross that squirmed out of the grasp of Brighton keeper Peter Brezovan.
At the other end, Joe Mattock saw his shot deflected just wide and Sam Vokes was denied twice in a minute by Lonergan, the first time with a superb save after the ex-United striker was left unmarked in the box to get his shot in.Leeds’ on loan right-back Adam Smith, who in the first half brought a save out of Brezovan, fired over when well placed and the game had really opened up. McCormack hit two strikes over and Tom Lees saw a header from a corner saved on the line by the keeper.But it remained scoreless until the introduction of Brighton striker Craig Mackail-Smith, who scored with his first touch after Lonergan was caught out by a near post corner.United’s reply was swift as Aidan White won a corner and Becchio then met Snodgrass’s delivery with a fine header that saw the ball creep in at the far post.Leeds went for the winner, but it was their opponents who got it in the first minute of injury-time as Navarro found space on the edge of the box and beat Lonergan with a low shot.

Kisnorbo "We showed character"

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Leeds United defender Patrick Kisnorbo says the side showed their character in last weekends win at Leicester City. Leeds went into the game on the back of a 5-0 home defeat by Blackpool and Kisnorbo says the 1-0 win at Leicester showed the strength of character within the squad.Speaking in the Yorkshire Evening Post, Kisnorbo said, "We showed the character of the team and the players we have in our squad at Leicester. Those sort of results against Blackpool sometimes happen and it was like a freak. But the character we showed to get a result against a team that has spent fifteen or so million pounds was quite remarkable and we did a great job."We did our basics correctly and that was the difference. Our game plan we worked on all week came through."Kisnorbo is enjoying a run in the side again following the injury to Darren O`Dea recently.The Australia international has been missing from the side in mid September following his sending off against Bristol City.Youngsters Darren O`Dea and Tom Lees have struck up an excellent partnership in the centre of the Leeds defence.Lees missed the Leicester game through suspension and it gave another experienced defender a chance.Andy O`Brien lined up alongside Kisnorbo at Leicester and the pair put in a tremendous performance to limit the Leicester attack to very few chances.With O`Dea and Lees expected to be back in the squad for Leeds next trip to Burnley, it gives Leeds boss Simon Grayson a welcome headache in the centre of the Leeds defence.

Leeds Crash at Home

Paul Ruchubka suffered the meltdown from hell as Jonjo Shelvey’s hat-trick led Blackpool on a rout at Elland Road.The goalkeeper Leeds boss Simon Grayson battled to sign from his former club Blackpool in the summer dropped THREE clangers and played a role in the dismissal of Tom Lees.Finally, Grayson was forced to remove the 30-year-old from the firing line for youth team keeper Tom Cairns ­after his first-half horror show.Rachubka’s confidence was shot to pieces as he lay face down, head in hands, after the third of the three goals he handed to his old team-mates in a nightmare 18-minute spell.Blackpool boss Ian Holloway allowed Rachubka to quit Bloomfield Road in the summer but even mad-cap Ollie could not have seen this kind of crazy payback coming.Rachubka was only in the side because of first choice Andy Lonergan’s broken finger which will keep the former Preston keeper out for six weeks.Blackpool’s only away win in 2011 came at Hull on the opening day of the season.Rachubka provided them with the perfect cure for their travel sickness as he chucked in three goals in quick succession to ruin Leeds’ six-game unbeaten home run.Grayson’s side allowed his old club to feel right at home and they took the lead after 13 minutes.The keeper failed to deal with Shelvey’s angled shot and Lomana LuaLua marked his full debut by converting the rebound inside the six-yard box.That proved the least glaring of Rachubka’s errors and his second was a double whammy that sent the Leeds crowd howling for him to be substituted.He dropped a looping cross inside his six yard box and the clanger was made worse when Lees accidentally handled Ludovic Sylvestre’s shot preventing the ball from finding an empty net.Referee Roger East was left with little choice but to brandish a straight red and Leeds fans chanted for their own keeper to be sent off.Shelvey scored from the spot and when Sylvestre aimed another routine shot from distance Rachubka allowed the ball to bounce from his grasp and Shelvey rolled in his second goal.LuaLua grabbed his second in the 65th minute as sub keeper Cairns was powerless to prevent his powerful shot from finding the top corner from just inside the right edge of the box.With 12 minutes remaining, Shelvey broke from the left and completed his hat-trick with a low shot into the Leeds net.

O'Dea Misses Blackpool Game

Simon Grayson has ruled Darren O'Dea out of tonight's Elland Road clash with Blackpool.The Republic of Ireland international was withdrawn from the action during Sunday's game against Cardiff City after suffering with dizziness and blurred vision."Darren won't play on Wednesday," confirmed the boss. "He was suffering with dizziness and blurred vision on Sunday and is seeing the doctor."He had taken a bang against Birmingham - it wasn't concussion, it was dizziness - but he was given the all-clear by the doctor and he declared himself fit. He took another knock on Sunday and we brought him off."Head injuries are something you have to have take very seriously so he won't play on Wednesday and he will be a doubt for Sunday. He is the Republic of Ireland squad after that and obviously he will be very keen to play so we'll all be guided by the doctor."O'Dea was replaced by Paddy Kisnorbo on Sunday against Cardiff, while Andy O'Brien, Leigh Bromby, and Alex Bruce are all available to come into contention."Losing Darren is disappointing because he's done really well over these past few weeks and formed a good partnership with Tom Lees," said the boss."Paddy came in and did very well on Sunday and Andy O'Brien has shown a real positive attitude and has done well over the past few weeks. He's looking strong and sharp."

Match Report Doncaster 0 Leeds 3

Leeds United moved into the top six for the first time this season with a classy demolition of Yorkshire neighbours Doncaster Rovers.Striker Ross McCormack was the star of the show, scoring a brilliant overhead kick for Leeds that confirmed his status as the leading goalscorer in the Championship.McCormack has now bagged 10 goals in 13 appearances this season – the sort of form that will attract the attention of Scotland manager Craig Levein.Danny Pugh and Tom Lees scored the other goals as Leeds underlined their intention to push for promotion to the Premier League this season.Buoyed by a return of 10 points from their previous four games, and roared on by nearly 4,500 vociferous supporters, Leeds looked extremely high on confidence.

Even the addition of former England goalkeeper Chris Kirkland and West Ham United defender Herita Ilunga to the Rovers’ line-up could not prevent defeat.Midfielder Robert Snodgrass had recovered from the ankle injury which led to his withdrawal from Scotland’s Euro 2012 qualifiers against Lichtenstein and Spain allowing manager Simon Grayson – in his 150th match in charge of Leeds – to name the side which had inflicted defeat on Portsmouth before the international break.Rovers defender Richard Naylor, released by Leeds last summer, sent Ross McCormack tumbling to the deck early on prompting shouts for a penalty in the Leeds technical area.Referee Kevin Friend ignored the appeal and that of Billy Sharp soon after when nudged in the back by Leeds defender Darren O’Dea.Leeds took the lead with 20 minutes gone when Pugh, on loan from Stoke City, scored for the second game in a row.Rovers defender George Friend had been penalised near the corner flag for a push on McCormack and Pugh volleyed home the subsequent delivery from Snodgrass.Leeds broke regularly at speed from midfield – exposing a shortage of pace in their opponents – but they were often let down by a poor final ball.Kirkland, who had not played first-team football since January, was rarely tested before the interval apart from with the goal.However, he still showed a good pair of hands to hold a well-driven 25-yard free-kick from McCormack. Striker Jon Parkin glanced a header wide for Rovers but it was a rare scare for Leeds.Five minutes after the break, McCormack doubled Leeds’s advantage with a stunning overhead kick.The Scot had his back to goal when receiving the ball from Andy Keogh 10 yards out but leapt acrobatically to volley over his shoulder and into the roof of the net.

Things got worse for Rovers on 64 minutes when Leeds defender Lees rose to head in Snodgrass’s corner.
Leeds suffered a late injury blow when goalkeeper Andy Lonergan had to come off following a tangle with substitute James Hayter.Striker Keogh then rattled the crossbar as Leeds threatened to rub salt in the wounds.The majority of the home supporters had gone long before the final whistle.While they will never forget the memory of beating Leeds in a League One play-off final four years ago, it is now 60 years and eight games since they enjoyed a home win over their rivals from West Yorkshire.

Lees Wants To Stay at Centre Back

Tom Lees urged manager Simon Grayson to keep faith with him in the centre of Leeds United’s defence after rounding off “the perfect week” with a 1-0 win over Portsmouth.The 20-year-old, who agreed a new contract on Friday, followed up the announcement of his extended deal by staking his claim to a long-term role at centre-back.Grayson turned to Lees in a bid to solve the defensive problems which have hampered United all season, and the youngster – fielded at right-back in previous matches – helped Leeds register their first clean sheet of the season.Lees is seen as a major prospect by United and is now under contract until 2015, and asked if he hoped to become one of club’s regular centre-backs, he said: “That’s the ultimate aim for me.“It’s really good to get a chance there but, as I’ve said before, I’ll play wherever the manager wants me to.“I’ve only played one game at centre-half so I’m just hoping to stay in there for the next game. But it’s the perfect way to round off the perfect week.”Danny Pugh’s 14th-minute header was enough to see off Pompey and Lees, who featured at full-back in last week’s 3-3 draw at Brighton, said: “It’s a much better feeling than Brighton. I think the hard work we put in after that paid off.“We were the better side in the first half and the important thing was that we weathered the storm in the second half and got our first clean sheet.
“It’s important, especially for us defenders. That’s all we’re focused on. When you get an early goal it puts the pressure on a bit more because you know that if you keep a clean sheet, you’ll definitely get three points.”

Lees Sign New Deal

Leeds United have secured the services of one of their most promising youngsters on a long term deal.Defender Tom Lees has signed an extended contract keeping him at the club until 2015.The 20-year-old has made seven appearances for Leeds since making his debut in August this year.Lees told the club website: "It's been tough and I've been learning lots, but I've enjoyed playing regularly and being a part of the team."
"It's been a step up for me and it's a good challenge."Lees returned to Elland Road after making more than 100 appearances while on loan at Accrington Stanley and Bury over the last two seasons.He made his debut in United's Carling Cup win over neighbours Bradford City, and scored his first goal in the victory over Hull City.
He said: "I wouldn't have thought I would be in this position now, but I know my future is here and my aim is to keep improving, keep learning, and keep getting better."

Nunez on Target Again As Leeds Remain Unbeaten

Leeds maintained their unbeaten run in pre season with a draw in Norway against Sandefjord.The game finished 1-1 after both sides scored inside the final five minutes.Sandefjord took the lead only for Nunez to equalise with a long-range effort.Simon Grayson named just a seventeen-man squad with trialist Alexandre Mendy again in the starting line up.There was no place in the squad for fellow trialist Boldiszar Bodor who played at Sheffield Wednesday who was supposed to be making the trip.Ross McCormack had Leeds first effort on goal but his shot went wide of the post.McCormack should have opened the scoring after he was fouled inside the box.The striker stepped up and fired his penalty kick wide of the post, his second miss from the spot in pre season.Mendy had the final chance of the first half but headed over.Ramon Nunez was the first substitution of the evening replacing Michael Brown ten minutes into the second half.Nunez quickly made an impact seeing a shot go just wide of the post.Adam Clayton had a decent effort tipped over the bar as Leeds controlled the game.Tom Lees had a great chance from a corner when he sent a header over the bar when free inside the area.Max Gradel replaced Ross McCormack inside the final five minutes and he was quickly involved, firing a shot over the crossbar.The home side scored in the final minutes of the game when Stokke fired in from close range.Leeds still had time to find an equaliser when Nunez fired home from distance with the assistance of a deflection.

It was to prove the final meaningful action of the game as Leeds maintained their unbeaten pre season.

Leeds now prepare for their final pre season game of the summer when they entertain Newcastle on Sunday.