Slovenia: Defeated in Domzale
leedsunited.com 13/7/13
Late goals deny United....
FC DOMZALE 2, LEEDS UNITED 1 (Poleon )
United (first 60 mins): Kenny, Peltier, Lees, Pugh, Warnock, Norris, Green, Brown, White, Hunt, Poleon.
United (final 30 mins): Cairns, Thompson, Killock, Pearce, Drury, Austin, Murphy, Tonge, McCormack, Varney, Smith.
Brian McDermott looked to move things up a level for his players in the second game of the Slovenian tour by splitting his teams up 60:30 instead of the 45 minutes each of the opening games.
Domzale are already in season - they cancelled a league match to entertain United - and it proved to be the most competitive pre-season friendly so far. It was keenly contested and there were one or two firm challenges.
The pace of Dom Poleon and Adie White was a threat for Leeds, and while Poleon hit a post early on, Noel Hunt also came close to breaking the deadlock when he was denied by a good save from the home goalkeeper.
The hosts did try their luck with a couple of long range efforts which went over Paddy Kenny's bar while Stephen Warnock earned himself a yellow card in what was a keen contest.
But it was United who went in front shortly before the half-hour when Poleon converted after a Paul Green shot was parried.
The second half saw the hosts get more of a foot in he game and Dragon Gabric rattled the crossbar before wholesale changes were made by both sides on the hour mark.
United's substitute goalkeeper Alex Cairns saw one effort fly into his side netting and moments later he made a terrific save, but he was unable to do anything about Domzale's equaliser when a corner was headed home 11 minutes from time.
Cairns was also called upon to make another good save on 87 minutes, and on this occasion, United dealt with the corner comfortably, Rudy Austin leading a charge forward.
The hosts were looking the most likely though and they grabbed a winner two minutes from time when a shot for 20 yards was deflected past Cairns.
Brian McDermott was far from happy after his side lost their first pre-season game of the season in Slovenia.
Leeds led with just eleven minutes remaining, but two avoidable goals saw them beaten by FC Domzale.
The Leeds boss thought the game could have been out of sight in the opening half hour, with chances his side created. He made wholesale changes on the hour, but he says the side sat too deep in the whole of the second half and they need to learn how to win a game ugly.
"First 30-minutes I thought we were good and could have been three up," McDermott told Yorkshire Radio.
"In the second half we just played in front of them. We made a lot of changes after 60-minutes, we weren`t functioning and we weren`t flowing with the ball. They pushed up on us and I have told the players, sometimes if you are 1-0 up, if you have to win a game ugly, then so be it.
"I know we have trained a lot and about fitness but more importantly it is about winning. We are Leeds United, we have to win games, and that is what is important to me.
"There are different ways of winning and that was a game we should have won ugly and we didn`t."
The one bright note was a third goal in three games for young striker Dominic Poleon in the first half.
Poleon has now netted in his last four games for Leeds, this time his goal came when he was on hand to score after Paul Green saw his effort parried by the Domzale goalkeeper.
Leeds have one game remaining in Slovenia when they face Hungarian side Ferencvaros on Tuesday night.
Late goals deny United....
FC DOMZALE 2, LEEDS UNITED 1 (Poleon )
United (first 60 mins): Kenny, Peltier, Lees, Pugh, Warnock, Norris, Green, Brown, White, Hunt, Poleon.
United (final 30 mins): Cairns, Thompson, Killock, Pearce, Drury, Austin, Murphy, Tonge, McCormack, Varney, Smith.
Brian McDermott looked to move things up a level for his players in the second game of the Slovenian tour by splitting his teams up 60:30 instead of the 45 minutes each of the opening games.
Domzale are already in season - they cancelled a league match to entertain United - and it proved to be the most competitive pre-season friendly so far. It was keenly contested and there were one or two firm challenges.
The pace of Dom Poleon and Adie White was a threat for Leeds, and while Poleon hit a post early on, Noel Hunt also came close to breaking the deadlock when he was denied by a good save from the home goalkeeper.
The hosts did try their luck with a couple of long range efforts which went over Paddy Kenny's bar while Stephen Warnock earned himself a yellow card in what was a keen contest.
But it was United who went in front shortly before the half-hour when Poleon converted after a Paul Green shot was parried.
The second half saw the hosts get more of a foot in he game and Dragon Gabric rattled the crossbar before wholesale changes were made by both sides on the hour mark.
United's substitute goalkeeper Alex Cairns saw one effort fly into his side netting and moments later he made a terrific save, but he was unable to do anything about Domzale's equaliser when a corner was headed home 11 minutes from time.
Cairns was also called upon to make another good save on 87 minutes, and on this occasion, United dealt with the corner comfortably, Rudy Austin leading a charge forward.
The hosts were looking the most likely though and they grabbed a winner two minutes from time when a shot for 20 yards was deflected past Cairns.
Brian McDermott was far from happy after his side lost their first pre-season game of the season in Slovenia.
Leeds led with just eleven minutes remaining, but two avoidable goals saw them beaten by FC Domzale.
The Leeds boss thought the game could have been out of sight in the opening half hour, with chances his side created. He made wholesale changes on the hour, but he says the side sat too deep in the whole of the second half and they need to learn how to win a game ugly.
"First 30-minutes I thought we were good and could have been three up," McDermott told Yorkshire Radio.
"In the second half we just played in front of them. We made a lot of changes after 60-minutes, we weren`t functioning and we weren`t flowing with the ball. They pushed up on us and I have told the players, sometimes if you are 1-0 up, if you have to win a game ugly, then so be it.
"I know we have trained a lot and about fitness but more importantly it is about winning. We are Leeds United, we have to win games, and that is what is important to me.
"There are different ways of winning and that was a game we should have won ugly and we didn`t."
The one bright note was a third goal in three games for young striker Dominic Poleon in the first half.
Poleon has now netted in his last four games for Leeds, this time his goal came when he was on hand to score after Paul Green saw his effort parried by the Domzale goalkeeper.
Leeds have one game remaining in Slovenia when they face Hungarian side Ferencvaros on Tuesday night.
