U23 REPORT: Burnley 1 Leeds Utd 4

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Young Clarets see unbeaten run ended as Leeds stay clear at the top

2021-01-11T16:56:59.326Z

U23 REPORT: Burnley 1 Leeds Utd 4

Young Clarets see unbeaten run ended as Leeds stay clear at the top

2021-01-11T16:56:59.326Z

Young Clarets see unbeaten run ended as Leeds stay clear at the top

A youthful Clarets side couldn’t stop Leeds tightening their grip on top spot in Premier League 2’s second tier as Burnley's five-match unbeaten run came to an end.

It was always going to be testing afternoon for a Clarets' line-up showing debuts at Under-23 level for goalkeeper Lewis Thomas, midfielder Dylan Moonan and striker Sam Unwin.

And so it proved as a hat-trick from livewire forward Crysencio Summerville gave the Yorkshiremen a fourth successive league win.

U23 REPORT: Burnley 1 Leeds Utd 4 - Image 1

But despite three goals from the visitors in the opening 35 minutes all but sealing the Clarets’ fate, a spirited second-half performance sparked by Max Thompson's goal threatened at a possible comeback and saw Steve Stone’s re-shuffled side emerge with credit.

Stone was missing a handful of the players who put together such an impressive run before Christmas, with illness, injury and first-team call-ups leading to an experimental and inexperienced line-up.

And it was a tough start for the youngsters as Leeds wasted no time in going in search of an eighth win of the campaign in their bid to move six points clear at the top of the table.

U23 REPORT: Burnley 1 Leeds Utd 4 - Image 2

Dutch U19 international Summerville clipped an early effort wide but there were just 10 minutes gone when Sam Greenwood, who came off the bench in Leeds’ FA Cup exit at Crawley Town 24 hours earlier, drove home the opening goal following a corner.

Summerville then opened his account when he slotted home after Ben Woods had blocked a shot and with just over half an hour played it was 3-0 when the former Feyenoord youngster rounded off another fine move with a crisp finish to double his tally.

Jake Rooney’s goalline clearance put Summerville’s hat-trick on hold as the Clarets reached the break with no further damage, Unwin going closest to a reply with an effort he hit wide before being replaced at the break.

U23 REPORT: Burnley 1 Leeds Utd 4 - Image 3

And Burnley then re-grouped to go on and dominate for much of the second half with a switch back to their more regular 4-4-2 formation.

A trialist winger on the right-hand side helped the Clarets get moving forward, while the introduction of midfielder Mace Goodridge later in the half also kept Leeds pushed back.

But for all their pressure and decent moments around the penalty area, Stone’s side could only force one breakthrough to narrow the gap.

Ne-Jai Tucker’s deep corner 11 minutes after the break was touched over the line by Thompson to make it 3-1.

The home side then had a number of other set-pieces to try and unsettle Leeds further.

U23 REPORT: Burnley 1 Leeds Utd 4 - Image 4

But a Rooney header onto the roof of the net was the nearest the Clarets came to a second goal and with a minute to go Leeds broke away to add their fourth and send Summerville home with the match ball.

Thomas was unable to hold a shot from Stuart McKinstry and Summerville followed up to tap in and leave the Clarets looking at a deficit their second-half efforts probably didn’t deserve.

Burnley: Thomas; Elva-Fountaine, Nartey, Rooney; Thompson, Moonan (Goodridge 60), Gomez-Mancini, Tucker, Woods; Taranis, Unwin (Trialist HT). Substitutes: Waller

Leeds United: Caprile, Drameh, Mullen, Kenneh, Cresswell, Huggins, McKinstry, Greenwood (Moore), Summerville, Kamwa, McCarron (Dean). Substitutes: Van Den Heuvel, Allen, Gibbon.