On Saturday 26th July I made the trip to North Derbyshire to watch Leeds United in action against Chesterfield in a Pre-Season Friendly at the Proact Stadium.
United head coach Dave Hockaday named what he decided was his best 11 in the squad we have at this moment. New signing Marco Silvestri started in goal for the Whites while follow Italians Gaetano Berardi, Tommaso Bianchi and Souleymane Doukara began the game on the bench. Youngster Chris Dawson was also named in the squad after missing the games at Guiseley and Mansfield.
Chesterfield started the game well and Eoin Doyle hit wide after a good cross from Jay O'Shea and Sam Morsy forced Silvestri into making a save.
Doyle came close again for the Spireites when he saw his effort turned aside by Silvestri in the Leeds goal.
Leeds thought they should have had a penalty moments later when Aidy White got forward from the right and was brought down inside the box as he shaped to shoot but the referee Mr. M. Naylor said Daniel Jones had won the ball and waved away the penalty appeals from the Leeds players and fans.
Minutes later and White was involved again when he put in a dangerous cross and Luke Murphy could only head wide of the target.
Half Time: 0-0
Into the second half and we'd only been playing one minute when Leeds were awarded a penalty when a good run down the Leeds left and Murphy was brought down by Jummy Ryan and referee Naylor pointed to the spot. Midfielder Rudy Austin took the penalty and sent the keeper the wrong way to put Leeds into the lead.
But Chesterfield didn't lie down there and were quickly back on level terms when Doyle played a ball onto the edge of the Whites box and Sam Morsy found space and fired low past Silvestri to bring the Spireites level.
Aidy White had to go off midway through the second half after landing awkwardly on his ankle after making an important tackle in the Leeds area.
Chesterfield took the lead just after the hour mark when a long ball was hit up towards Armand Gnanduillet who headed into the path of Sam Morsy, who got infront of his man to score his and Chesterfield's second.
There was mass substitutions from both managers as the pace of the game slowed down and the Whites enjoyed decent spells of the ball without creating chances to score from.
With five minutes remaining on the clock Sam Byram got forward from the back and defender Jones brought him down and referee Naylor awarded Leeds a second penalty. Rudy Austin steped up to take the penalty and put the ball into the same corner and scored despite Tommy Lee going the same way.
Full Time: 2-2
Goals: Chesterfield (Morsy 54', 65' ) United (Austin pens 46', 85')
Chesterfield: Lee (gk) - Darikwa, Evatt (c), Cooper, Jones - Hird (Gardner 45'), Morsy (Humphreys 76'), Ryan (Morrisson 83'), O'Shea (Gnanduillet 45'), Roberts (Featherstone 81')- Doyle (Daly 86'). Unused Subs: Anyan (gk), Raglan, Onivwigun, Dawes, Clark.
United: Silvestri (gk) - Byram, Pearce (c), Wootton, Warnock (Berardi 74') - Austin, Cook (Tonge 68'), Murphy (Norris 68'), White (Bianchi 64') - Smith (Doukara 45'), Morision (Dawson 76'). Unused Subs: S Taylor (gk), Berardi, C Taylor, Lees.
I'm Mr Russ Vernon and thats my opinon on the game
