Markanday treble downs Leeds

Dilan Markanday rifled home a first-half hat-trick to see our Under-23s to their first win of the season in the Premier League 2 - a 4-2 victory away at Leeds on Monday afternoon.

After opening his account in our first game of the campaign – a 2-2 draw against Chelsea last Monday – the forward got us underway on 19 minutes, firing in from a corner against the run of play. Soon after, he doubled our lead with a fine solo effort, but it was a lead we squandered as the hosts got themselves back into the game on 28 minutes through Joe Gelhardt before Sam Greenwood levelled the scores from the penalty spot 13 minutes later. Yet, in the final moments of an exhilarating first half, Markanday was on the scoresheet again, netting his third to restore our lead. Nile John then curled in from range on 73 minutes to seal the victory in West Yorkshire.

Having been forced to weather an early storm at a sunny Thorp Arch Training Centre, in which the home side had numerous chances to open the scoring, we found ourselves in front. Enjoying our first attack on 19 minutes, Markanday managed to bring the ball down from a Harvey White corner before turning on the spot and drilling in from eight yards.

Three minutes later, the hosts should have been level, only for Lewis Bate to blaze his strike over after he had found time and space in the box. It was a missed chance they would rue though as, a minute later, Markanday bagged his second of the game with a fine solo effort, beating three defenders before lashing the ball into the roof of the net. He could have had his hat-trick moments later but, after he was set free through the middle, Leeds goalkeeper Kristoffer Klaesson won their one-v-one duel.

That moment gave the hosts confidence, they grew back into the game and ultimately got themselves back level. Greenwood was the dangerman on the flank, first crossing in for Gelhardt to halve the deficit on 28 minutes before he stepped up to convert a penalty on 41 minutes, after Kallum Cesay had been adjudged to have felled Amari Miller in the box.

Riled by the squandering of our lead though, we refocussed and battled to get back in front. In the second minute of stoppage time, we found just that as we hit Leeds on the break through a surging run from John, he then set away Markanday who rounded the keeper before firing in.

We started the second half as we had finished the first – and that nearly saw us double our advantage, only for Alfie Devine to drag his effort wide from the angle. From there though, we again had to weather some intense pressure from the hosts as they looked to find an equaliser. Josh Oluwayemi produced a stunning save to deny Bates, tipping the midfielder’s fierce drive from distance onto the bar. The goalkeeper then had to be brave to thwart the lurking Gelhardt from close range after good work from Crysencio Summerville on the right.

Instead, we found the next goal as Matthew Craig picked out John on the edge of the box with an incisive pass before the midfielder wrapped the ball home for our fourth.

Chances fell for both sides in the final moments of the game, but neither team could quite capitalise with Romaine Mundle forcing a smart save out of Klaesson before Greenwood blazed over from close range in stoppage time. The result moves the Development Squad up to second in the table, two points off league leaders Brighton & Hove Albion.

‘We matched them with our work ethic’

After what was a hard-fought victory in an energetic encounter, Under-23s Coach Wayne Burnett was pleased with the efforts shown by his players to match up to a lively Leeds side.

“It was a very difficult game against a very fit, well organised Leeds team that has some very good players,” he said. “I felt that we matched them with our work ethic. We probably didn’t play with as much fluidity as we have in recent weeks, but it’s really pleasing that we found a way to win and scored four very, very good goals.

“Dilan Markanday also took his goals very well. I’m really pleased for him, and he looked a threat throughout.”

Match data

Goals: Leeds – Gelhardt 28, Greenwood 41 (pen); Spurs – Markanday 19, 23, 45+2, John 73.

Yellow cards: Leeds - Bate 45+1, Moore 62; Spurs – White 45+1.

Referee: Matthew Diccio.

Weather: Sunny, 22 degrees.

Venue: Thorp Arch Training Centre, Leeds.