In Premier League Two on Friday night, United’s under-21 team faced the under-21 team of their hosts, Newcastle United, at Whitley Park. The team was looking to win for the second time in five days after defeating Derby County’s youth 3-0 at home on Monday.
With games remaining, Monday’s victory over the Rams lifted Scott Gardner’s Whites off the bottom of the division, and Leeds’ 2-0 victory over the Magpies guaranteed them a further ascent up the standings.
After the half, Leeds’ 19-year-old attacker Luca Thomas scored both of the team’s goals, making a double impact. However, the decision made by referee James Oldham, which resulted in Leeds’ first goal from the penalty spot, infuriated Newcastle manager Ben Dawson.
With 67 minutes remaining, Thomas duly smashed home his spot kick into the bottom corner after Leeds was awarded a penalty for handball. A long free-kick floated into the Newcastle box and sailed behind for what appeared to be a goal kick or corner.
After being played in by Sam Chambers, Thomas completed a brilliant team move 13 minutes later to double his and United’s score against Newcastle’s best attempt to reply. Leeds moved up three spots in the Premier League Two standings after the win, moving up to 22nd place among the 26 teams, above Newcastle, West Brom, and Everton. Dawson, the Magpies’ manager, was unimpressed.
“We continue to strive for comprehension,” he stated to the Shields Gazette. “The referee awarded a corner; they actually exchanged glances before each gave a signal, one for a corner and one for a goal kick. The referee then decided, “I’m not happy with this,” after they had been walking away for a good number of seconds and were satisfied with the outcome. If it has struck someone’s arm and they have somehow determined that it is a penalty, then in my opinion they have no idea whose arm it has struck.
“The outcome of the decision has altered the game. It is incredibly subpar. The guys ought to get better. It was a competitive and enjoyable football match. However, that one choice altered the course of the game and destroyed it for our boys.
“I thought it was a really well managed, controlled game from our perspective,” Whites manager Scott Gardner said to LUTV. I observed various components of the game that we have been developing. I need to see the group advance and the players’ connection to the tasks we are asking them to complete just getting tighter and tighter, as we knew it would take some time. Despite being a young group, they are making great progress.
“Everything that they (Newcastle) did, I thought we had an answer for and equally I thought we were a real threat when we found those pockets of space with Sam and Luca in particular.”
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