Report: Harrogate Town 0-3 Leeds United

Pre-season friendly

City of Harrogate 0

Leeds United 3 (Firpo 12′, Georginio 61′, Chambers 90′)

Leeds United: Meslier (GK) (Darlow 46′), Firpo (Struijk 46′), Ampadu (C), Piroe (Summerville 46′), Rothwell (Crew 46′), Rodon (Byram 46′), Joseph (Gelhardt 46′), James (Chambers 85′), Georginio (Gray 76′), Gruev (Thomas 85′), Debayo (Gnonto 46′). Sub is not used: Cairns (GK).

Referee: Andrew’s kitchen

Reserved: Crew (Leeds)

Venue: The exercise stadium

Present: 3,920

Daniel Farke’s Leeds United began their pre-season campaign with a dominant performance at Harrogate Town’s Exercise Stadium.

In sweltering North Yorkshire conditions, Dominican Republic junior international Firpo fired the Whites into the lead in the early stages before goals from Georginio Rutter and Sam Chambers sealed victory after the break.

Buoyed by a sold-out away finish, Leeds dominated possession early on with Georginio’s quick feet on the edge of the Sulphurites penalty area for Dan James on the right.

The Wales international’s blistering break found Mateo Joseph at the front post, but under pressure from the yellow shirts, the young striker could not get his header on target.

Full-back Pacy James would again find space on the flank moments later, his dangerous delivery flashing across the face of goal as he looked to find Joel Piroe’s run.

The opener rightly came just after the 10-minute mark when a good foray saw Joseph dance away from a defender and find James on the right.

The forward returned the favor with a threading pass into the forward inside the area, with Firpo then on hand to finish Joseph’s low cross from close range.

Within minutes the lead was almost doubled as Piroe looked set to tap into Firpo’s pull-back, only for the retreating James Daly to cross.

Piroe would be given a sight of goal when Georginio was brought down on the edge of the area.

Wide from the centre, the Dutch striker curled a fierce effort back over City stopper James Belshaw, sailing narrowly wide of the far post.

The Whites, dominating possession, continued to threaten and went inches from grabbing a second as the impressive Joseph found the run of 26-year-old James to fire a left-foot shot wide.

After James’ blistering pace won his side possession deep in the hosts’ territory, Bulgaria international Ilia Gruev went close, seeing a goal-bound drive cleared from danger by Anthony O’Connor.

On the stroke of half-time, Simon Weaver’s side had their first effort of the night as Liam Gibson glanced over Daly’s delivery before referee Andrew Kitchen brought the opening 45 minutes to a close.

HALF TIME: Harrogate Town 0-1 Leeds United

Looking to split the minutes between the squad, Farke made seven changes at half-time, with Karl Darlow, Pascal Struijk, Sam Byram, Charlie Crew, Willy Gnonto, Crysencio Summerville and Joe Gelhardt all brought into action.

Gnonto and Gelhardt were immediately on the front foot as the latter’s hooked effort stung the palms of Belshaw after he was brought down in the area by the Italy international.

Despite all the pressure from the Whites, the hosts delivered a reminder that they were still a threat when summer signing Stephen Duke-McKenna rattled the woodwork with a curling free-kick from distance.

Just before the hour mark, Belshaw produced two fine saves to deny James, first diving down to his right to parry the winger’s inventive strike with the outside of his boot.

As Leeds recycled possession, the Welshman then latched on to Georginio’s threading pass behind the Sulphurites’ line, forcing the Harrogate keeper into a superb reaction save.

But the impressive Belshaw was helpless when Georginio struck a second later, reacting quickest when the hosts failed to clear Crysencio Summerville’s dangerous corner to fire home into the top corner.

Desperate defending by City substitute Warren Burrell then prevented Gelhardt from adding a third, stooping to clear James’ delivery as the striker lurked menacingly at the penalty spot.

With the ball, Gruev organized proceedings and picked out Gnonto, who gave him acres of space on the left flank, who headed before curling a teasing delivery across the face of goal and beyond the far post.

Into the last 10 minutes and Summerville went within inches of getting on the score sheet, running clear and pushing wide under pressure from the onrushing Belshaw.

The stopper was on hand again to step in for Weaver’s men moments later, parrying Gelhardt’s speculative effort as the Whites looked to extend their lead late on.

In the dying moments the Whites deserved to grab a third and in a way when debutant Chambers headed a fierce effort past Belshaw on the edge of the area with the final touch of the game!

FULL TIME: Harrogate Town 0-3 Leeds United