Leedsunited.com 14/8/07
WESTY'S WINNER
MACCLESFIELD TOWN 0, UNITED 1 (Westlake 79)
Macclesfield: Lee, Edghill, Regan, Dimech, Green, Husbands (Evans 11), Thomas (Wiles 88), Reid, McIntyre, Murray, Dunfield. Subs: Swailes, Jennings, Brain.
United: Ankergren, Gardner, Heath, Parker, Lewis, Prutton (Weston 90), Douglas, Howson, Carole (Westlake 46), Elliott (Beckford 46), Kandol. Subs: Marques, Delph.
Referee: A M Penn
Booked: Elliott
Att: 3422
Dennis Wise made seven changes from the side which kicked off the League One campaign with a 2-1 win at Tranmere last weekend.
The boss made full use of his resources and included four teenagers in the starting line-up for the club's first ever meet with Macclesfield Town.
One of those teenagers - Jonny Howson - was involved when United collected the first corner of the game after his crunching tackle won the ball and Tresor Kandol forced a corner.
Macclesfield dealt with the set-piece, but United immediately won another when Kandol had a header deflected wide.
Moments later, Kandol had the ball in the back of the net with a well-placed header, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Macclesfield's reply was immediate and Adam Murray was screaming for a penalty when he went down under a challenge from Ben Parker.
United had an even better shout for a penalty waved away on 10 minutes, though, when a goalbound header from Matt Heath was clearly blocked on the line by a Macclesfield hand.
The visitors again broke quickly as they cleared their lines and Casper Ankergren made his first save of the game when he pushed Terry Dunfield's long-range effort around the post.
Ankergren appeared to make another good save from Murray from distance, but the referee awarded a goal-kick despite protestations from the home players.
At the other end, Kandol had an opportunity when, escaping the offside trap, he latched onto a ball over the top, but he was quickly crowded out and shot straight at Macc goalkeeper Tommy Lee.
As the half-hour approached, skipper Jonathan Douglas and Howson were starting to take a grip on the midfield with some quality touches.
United were looking to play the ball through or over the static home defence, and Kandol was presented with another chance when Seb Carole whipped in a cross from the left, but the striker was unable to get his shot in.
And moments before the half-time whistle, Dave Prutton was screaming for support after he barged his way into a great position. Prutton drew Lee off his line in the Macc goal, but no one was on hand to capitalise when the keeper managed to stab the ball away from the feet of the debut man.
The United manager again looked to make an impact at half-time - his team-talk had changed the game at Tranmere the previous weekend - and this time he made a double substitution with Ian Westlake replacing Carole and Elliott making way for Jermaine Beckford.
It took Beckford a little over 10 minutes to make an impact. After breaking clear he forced Lee into making a terrific save from a powerful shot, but as Kandol looked to convert the follow-up, Macc defender Kevin McIntyre somehow bundled the ball off the line.
United were enjoying a spell of good possession, but it was Macclesfield's Danny Thomas who had the next sight of goal when he tried his luck with a decent effort from distance.
But the breakthrough came in United's favour and in some style just 11 minutes before time. Prutton delivered a superb cross from the right and Westlake scored with a terrific volley which left Lee with no chance.
Parker came close to grabbing a second in the 85th minute when he drilled a shot wide, following a corner, and it took some quick thinking from goalkeeper Lee to deny Beckford by racing off his line.
But Westlake's super strike proved enough to secure the win to put United into round two.

Popular posts from this blog

The huge initial fee Leeds are set to receive for Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham — Leeds United News 31/7/24

Leeds United board break silence after transfer window with statement on upcoming Elland Road development — YEP 2/9/24

Leeds United transfer state of play as Whites knock back low bid and assert wing pair stance — YEP 3/7/24