Leeds United Football Club - Hibs 1 United 3: Frazer Turns It Around
A superb second half performance from Leeds saw them win the inaugural Whyte and Mackay Cup by three goals to one, largely thanks to the impetus of substitute Frazer Richardson, who had a hand in all three goals for United.
There were no real clues from Blackwell as to whether he had decided to play what will be his starting XI against Derby next week, with 16-year-old Simon Walton playing in midfield as Matthew Spring was rested due to injury. Neil Sullivan made his United debut fresh from completing his move to Elland Road on a two-year deal.
Upfront, Brian Deane and Michael Ricketts were again paired together, whilst a third striker, Julian Joachim, was employed on the right wing.
The game turned out to be one which saw two different sides of Leeds United, in the first half they looked apprehensive and played as if they had just met each other, but in the second they got themselves together and dominated the game. The difference could not be more starkly illustrated by the 12 minute spell in which all three of United's goals came.
Hibs main threat in the first half of the game came from the pace of Scott Brown down the right hand side, whose crosses were whipped in with precision, but were not met with a header or touch from a green shirt to really trouble Sullivan.
The first save Sullivan had to make came on 16 minutes when a Brown cross was met by a Tom McManus header, but the new United keeper scrambled across well to collect from under his crossbar.
Leeds then had the best chance of the half as Julian Joachim showed his electric pace for the first time.
The former Coventry forward brought the ball down with his back to goal 20-yards out, turned the defender Murdoch and sprinted clear but his powerful shot from just inside the area was turned away by Brown in the Hibs goal.
Ten minutes later and Brian Deane was presented with his best chance of opening the scoring, but the big centre-forward snatched at the shot with his left foot and Brown made a comfortable save.
The game had looked set to reach the half-way mark all square, but then a mistake in the 45th minute saw Hibs take the lead, much to the delight of the home fans.
Leeds failed to clear their lines properly and Kelly's block saw the ball fall into the path of Tom McManus who hit a superb right foot curling shot against Sullivan's left hand post and the ball bounced into the net.
If Kevin Blackwell was looking for a good response after that set-back he certainly got it as Leeds came out with purpose and soon took control of the game.
Leeds fightback began through a Michael Ricketts headed goal, coming just after the striker had hit a shot against the underside of the crossbar. Frazer Richardson regained possession for The Whites and swung in a superb cross that Ricketts met with a header past Brown for a 62nd minute equaliser.
Richardson had revitalised the side after coming on as a substitute in the 53rd minute, but few expected him, as a recognised full-back, to do what he did next and score from 25-yards.
He simply picked the ball up in midfield, watched the space appear ahead of him as Hibs fell back into their penalty area, and then let fly with a shot that took a deflection off the defender Smith in front and looped right over the top of Brown to make it 2-1.
United had scored twice in four minutes and suddenly they appeared capable of scoring at will.
The goal of the afternoon followed for United with 15 minutes left to play and again Richardson was involved.
His darting run down the left saw him get clear of three Hibs defenders before having the presence of mind to play a cheeky backheel into the path of Julian Joachim, from where the striker showed good composure and vision to resist the shot on goal and play in Ricketts for a simple tap-in and his second of the game.
It could have been a far moe emphatic scoreline had Danny Cadamarteri found the time to shoot inside the area when he broke clear, but 3-1 was the perfect scoreline to end pre-season for the Whites ahead of next week's opener against Derby County.
Hibernian
Simon Brown, Steven Whittaker, David Murphy, Gary Caldwell, Colin Murdock, Guillaume Beuzelin, Scott Brown, Grant Brebner, Gary O'Connor, Tom McManus, Stephen Glass.
Subs: Alistair Brown, Gary Smith, Derek Riordan, Kevin Nicol, Kevin McDonald, Steven Dobbie, Alen Orman.
Leeds United: Neil Sullivan, Gary Kelly, Matthew Kilgallon (Danny Cadamarteri), Simon Walton (Chris Bart-Williams), Michael Duberry (Clarke Carlisle), Paul Butler (Lucas Radebe), Julian Joachim (Jamie McMaster), Jermaine Wright, Brian Deane (Frazer Richardson), Michael Ricketts, (Andy Keogh), Danny Pugh.
Subs not used: Scott Carson, Steve Guppy
A superb second half performance from Leeds saw them win the inaugural Whyte and Mackay Cup by three goals to one, largely thanks to the impetus of substitute Frazer Richardson, who had a hand in all three goals for United.
There were no real clues from Blackwell as to whether he had decided to play what will be his starting XI against Derby next week, with 16-year-old Simon Walton playing in midfield as Matthew Spring was rested due to injury. Neil Sullivan made his United debut fresh from completing his move to Elland Road on a two-year deal.
Upfront, Brian Deane and Michael Ricketts were again paired together, whilst a third striker, Julian Joachim, was employed on the right wing.
The game turned out to be one which saw two different sides of Leeds United, in the first half they looked apprehensive and played as if they had just met each other, but in the second they got themselves together and dominated the game. The difference could not be more starkly illustrated by the 12 minute spell in which all three of United's goals came.
Hibs main threat in the first half of the game came from the pace of Scott Brown down the right hand side, whose crosses were whipped in with precision, but were not met with a header or touch from a green shirt to really trouble Sullivan.
The first save Sullivan had to make came on 16 minutes when a Brown cross was met by a Tom McManus header, but the new United keeper scrambled across well to collect from under his crossbar.
Leeds then had the best chance of the half as Julian Joachim showed his electric pace for the first time.
The former Coventry forward brought the ball down with his back to goal 20-yards out, turned the defender Murdoch and sprinted clear but his powerful shot from just inside the area was turned away by Brown in the Hibs goal.
Ten minutes later and Brian Deane was presented with his best chance of opening the scoring, but the big centre-forward snatched at the shot with his left foot and Brown made a comfortable save.
The game had looked set to reach the half-way mark all square, but then a mistake in the 45th minute saw Hibs take the lead, much to the delight of the home fans.
Leeds failed to clear their lines properly and Kelly's block saw the ball fall into the path of Tom McManus who hit a superb right foot curling shot against Sullivan's left hand post and the ball bounced into the net.
If Kevin Blackwell was looking for a good response after that set-back he certainly got it as Leeds came out with purpose and soon took control of the game.
Leeds fightback began through a Michael Ricketts headed goal, coming just after the striker had hit a shot against the underside of the crossbar. Frazer Richardson regained possession for The Whites and swung in a superb cross that Ricketts met with a header past Brown for a 62nd minute equaliser.
Richardson had revitalised the side after coming on as a substitute in the 53rd minute, but few expected him, as a recognised full-back, to do what he did next and score from 25-yards.
He simply picked the ball up in midfield, watched the space appear ahead of him as Hibs fell back into their penalty area, and then let fly with a shot that took a deflection off the defender Smith in front and looped right over the top of Brown to make it 2-1.
United had scored twice in four minutes and suddenly they appeared capable of scoring at will.
The goal of the afternoon followed for United with 15 minutes left to play and again Richardson was involved.
His darting run down the left saw him get clear of three Hibs defenders before having the presence of mind to play a cheeky backheel into the path of Julian Joachim, from where the striker showed good composure and vision to resist the shot on goal and play in Ricketts for a simple tap-in and his second of the game.
It could have been a far moe emphatic scoreline had Danny Cadamarteri found the time to shoot inside the area when he broke clear, but 3-1 was the perfect scoreline to end pre-season for the Whites ahead of next week's opener against Derby County.
Hibernian
Simon Brown, Steven Whittaker, David Murphy, Gary Caldwell, Colin Murdock, Guillaume Beuzelin, Scott Brown, Grant Brebner, Gary O'Connor, Tom McManus, Stephen Glass.
Subs: Alistair Brown, Gary Smith, Derek Riordan, Kevin Nicol, Kevin McDonald, Steven Dobbie, Alen Orman.
Leeds United: Neil Sullivan, Gary Kelly, Matthew Kilgallon (Danny Cadamarteri), Simon Walton (Chris Bart-Williams), Michael Duberry (Clarke Carlisle), Paul Butler (Lucas Radebe), Julian Joachim (Jamie McMaster), Jermaine Wright, Brian Deane (Frazer Richardson), Michael Ricketts, (Andy Keogh), Danny Pugh.
Subs not used: Scott Carson, Steve Guppy
