Leeds United: Antonsson and Roofe see off North Ferriby
21:17
Leeds United striker Marcus Antonsson during the club's 2-0 win over North Ferriby United.
Leeds United striker Marcus Antonsson during the club's 2-0 win over North Ferriby United.
21:47 Wednesday 12 July 2017
Leeds United spared North Ferriby United from a heavy defeat as goals from Marcus Antonsson and Kemar Roofe earned the Elland Road club a 2-0 win at Church Road.
Antonsson’s early finish set the tone for a routine evening, putting Leeds on course for their third straight pre-season victory, but wasteful finishing denied Thomas Christiansen’s players a more resounding success.
Leeds United head coach Thomas Christiansen.
Leeds United head coach Thomas Christiansen.
United produced a total of nine goals in last week’s meetings with Harrogate Town and Guiseley last week and were full of chances against North Ferriby.
Their failure to exploit them allowed North Ferriby to stay in touch for almost an hour but the National League North club were outclassed by United and Kemar Roofe’s 55th-minute strike completed Leeds’ preparation for a three-match tour of Austria.
Christiansen and his players fly to the continent on Friday for a trip which will throw up more challenging friendlies against Ingolstadt, Borussia Monchengladbach and Eibar.
Antonsson’s opening goal followed four previous chances for the Swedish striker as United took control of North Ferriby from the kick-off.
Stuart Dallas was also denied by an early close-range save from goalkeeper Ross Durrant but Antonsson, whose effective movement was let down by his finishing, finally found a clinical touch after chesting down a long pass on 18 minutes.
Roofe went close on two occasions as his partnership with Luke Ayling on the right-hand side caused North Ferriby problems and Souleymane Doukara hit the base of a post with a low effort shortly before half-time.
Christiansen, who was without Rob Green, Pablo Hernandez, Hadi Sacko and Lee Erwin, made seven changes at the break and Leeds forced a second goal when Roofe beat Durrant with a rising shot off the underside of crossbar. Durrant denied Madger Gomes a last-minute third with a fine goalline save.
New Leeds signing Caleb Ekuban watched from the bench while Chris Wood completed a training session before kick-off having started training with Leeds on Monday. Both are expected to make their first pre-season appearances against Ingolstadt in Kufstein on Sunday.
Leeds United: Wiedwald (Silvestri 46), Ayling (O’Connor 71), Jansson (Diagouraga 46), Cooper (Anita 46), Berardi, O’Kane (Shaughnessy 46), Bridcutt (Phillips 46), Roofe, Dallas (Vieira 46), Doukara (Gomes 46), Antonsson (Stokes 71).
