Match Report:Leeds 2-0 Blackpool

Neil Warnock made five changes from the side which lost 4-0 at Manchester City at the weekend. David Norris opened the scoring in the second half when he scored with a well-controlled half-volley, before Steve Morison recorded his first goal for the club with a lovely lofted finish. Leeds also went close through Luke Varney and Ross McCormack. Blackpool's Ludovic Sylvestre had a 30-yard strike tipped over and Gary Taylor-Fletcher had the ball in the net, but he was ruled offside. The result is Leeds' first win in four league games and moves Neil Warnock's side to within six points of a play-off place. They were the better side in the first half with Varney twice going close with headers, the second well saved by Matt Gilks. Scotland forward McCormack then made a mess of a shot from three yards before he had an effort cleared off the line by Craig Cathcart. The visitors came back into the game later in the half. Sylvestre was first to test the goal with a fantastic strike that was heading into the top corner only for Paddy Kenny to deny him with a superb stop. Moments later, Taylor-Fletcher thought he had scored after he tucked the ball past Kenny after the keeper had parried Matt Phillips's shot - unfortunately for Ince's side the forward was offside. The second 45 minutes was also entertaining, but it was Leeds who made the most of their chances. They took the lead when Norris, who had quite a quiet game, gave Gilks no chance with a great half-volley. But that finish was bettered by Morison, who got himself between both centre-backs before lifting his effort over the Blackpool keeper. Tom Ince nearly gave his father something to smile about in the closing minutes, but directed his header over the bar.

Huddersfield 2-4 Leeds

Luciano Becchio's double helped Leeds clinch a third straight league victory as they saw off West Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield. Argentinian striker Becchio headed Leeds into a first-half lead after Michael Tonge cancelled out Chris Atkinson's opener for Huddersfield. Former Leeds midfielder Adam Clayton equalised for the home side from the penalty spot just before half-time, but David Norris edged the visitors ahead midway through the second period and Becchio ensured a thrilling derby win for his side with a header in the 86th minute. Town's on-loan Reading forward Simon Church and winger Danny Ward both tried their luck from outside the penalty area before the home side's early breakthrough. Ward combined with Clayton on the edge of the area and the latter slipped the ball into the path of Atkinson, who ghosted in behind the Leeds defence to steer a neat finish into visiting goalkeeper Paddy Kenny's bottom right-hand corner. The visitors began to look dangerous on the counter-attack and struck twice in as many minutes shortly before half-time to turn the game on its head. Ross McCormack first teed-up Tonge on the edge of the area in the 35th minute and the Leeds midfielder's low side-footed shot went underneath Huddersfield goalkeeper Alex Smithies, who will argue his sight had been hindered by a dazzling sun. Two minutes later, McCormack was the provider again, setting up Becchio in a similar position after another swift break by the visitors and the Argentinian slammed home his 13th goal of the season into the top corner. But Becchio then turned villain for the visitors, penalised for pulling Huddersfield skipper Peter Clarke in the area following Ward's free-kick and Clayton stepped forward to steer the subsequent spot kick into the bottom corner. Leeds were rewarded for another concerted spell of pressure with a third goal in the 70th minute. Substitute Ryan Hall beat his man on the edge of the box and squared the ball for Norris to bury a left-footed finish inside Smithies' left-hand post from 12 yards, leaving Becchio to close the show with Hall as the provider once more.

Leeds United 1-1 Charlton

Neil Warnock made four changes to his starting line-up with Adam Drury, Luke Varney, David Norris, and Paul Green coming into the side. Rodolph Austin and Lee Peltier missed out through injury while Aidy White and Michael Tonge were among the subs.The first real chance of the game fell to Leeds after 11 minutes when Jason Pearce found space to plant a header over the bar. Moments later, Norris had shot blocked by Leon Cort after showing great skill following a poor Charlton clearance.It wasn't the most inspiring of opening half hours with neither side finding any real fluency to take a grip on the game. Shortly after the half-hour, El-Hadji Diouf started a flowing move that ended with him trying to barge his way through the Charlton defence. But United were in front on 36 minutes when Varney headed down a Michael Brown ball into the box and Norris fired home from inside the box. The visitors had offered little in the way of a threat, but United had an escape moments before half-time when a cross took a deflection off Tom Lees and hit the woodwork. Charlton were level just minutes into the second half, though, with their first real shot of the night. Lawrie Wilson made a deft touch to Dorian Dervite whose strike from outside of the box squeezed in the far corner. Charlton also created an opening when Salim Kerkar couldn't quite make a good connection inside the box as the cross came in. The second half was an open affair. Diouf won a couple of corners for Leeds and Charlton looked to attack down the flanks before delivering balls into the box. Chances were few and far between, though, and Paddy Kenny had to be alert to deny Chris Solly after one good move by the visitors. Kerkar also sent a shot wide after some decent play by Charlton. And Kenny had to spead himself well to make a great save in the final minute when Bradley Wright-Phillips got on the end of another low ball into the box. United pressed in stoppage time, the visitors had to hack away a Diouf corner, and from the Charlton break, Kenny had to pull off another fine save.

New look Leeds fire Championship Warning

Neil Warnock's new-look Leeds cruised past Shrewsbury in the first round of the Capital One Cup as goals from Luciano Becchio, Luke Varney, David Norris and Ross McCormack secured an easy 4-0 win.
Warnock named eight debutants, including Varney and Norris, and teenage defender Sam Byram, with the hosts taking the lead through Becchio in the 20th minute.Another summer signing, Rodolph Austin, fired in a shot from outside the penalty area and, although Shrewsbury goalkeeper Chris Weale got down well to keep the ball out, Argentinian Becchio slid home the rebound from six yards.Leeds doubled their advantage six minutes later following a sweeping move that ended with striker McCormack's shot blocked, allowing Varney to pounce and apply a neat finish.Shrewsbury's Luke Summerfield lashed a shot wide for the visitors soon after, while team-mates Paul Parry and Jermaine Grandison had both gone close with long-distance efforts earlier.But Leeds looked the more assured in possession and midfielder Norris twice went close to adding a third, before eventually slamming home a shot into the bottom corner from Varney's headed knockdown.

McCormack stroked his penalty into the bottom corner to make it 4-0 in the 70th minute after Shrews defender Michael Hector handled in the area.


Leeds: Kenny, Byram, Peltier, Pearce, White, Green (Poleon 76), Austin, Norris, Varney (Brown 86), McCormack (Diouf 76), Becchio. Subs: Ashdown, Drury, Kisnorbo, Gray.

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

Leeds Land Norris

Leeds United have agreed a deal to sign Portsmouth midfielder David NorrisThe 31-year-old midfielder has finally agreed to join the Elland Road outfit, subject to passing a medical.Norris follows Jason Pearce and Luke Varney in making the move to the Championship club.And confirmed admirer Warnock believes Norris’ knack of scoring goals from midfield will aid his side’s bid for promotion.‘I’ve always liked him since he was at Plymouth and I’ve followed him since then,’ said Warnock.‘He has good energy and the way we are at the moment you can’t get enough good players in that area.‘I think he’ll fit in well, he’ll fight for his place and give us the competition.‘He’ll be another good signing I think.‘I’m looking for goals from midfield to help us with the loss of (Robert) Snodgrass.‘We need to compensate that even though we’re looking to sign strikers.‘That will go a long way to help us with goals from other areas as well.’