Leeds United have extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to seven matches, after battling back from a goal down to defeat League Two Cambridge United in front of a sell-out crowd at the Abbey Stadium in the third round of the FA Cup.

Leeds United head coach Garry Monk made no less than eight changes to his starting lineup  with a climacteric match against Derby County on the horizon. Tyler Denton was granted a second professional appearance while Marcus Antonsson received a first start since September, as the Whites looked to carve a safe passage through into the next round.

Second-half headers from Stuart Dallas and Alex Mowatt overturned a first-half deficit imposed upon the Whites by a fine turn and finish from towering forward Uche Ikpeazu in the 25th minute.

United will now progress into the fourth round of the competition, where they’ll face either League One Wimbledon or Vanarama National League minnows Sutton United.

Team Lineups

Cambridge United (4-5-1) - Norris; Taylor, Roberts, Legge, Adams; Mingoia, Dunne, Berry, Clark (Williamson 88), Newton (Dunk 66); Ikpeazu.  

Unused Substitutes: Gregory, Maris, Pigott, Davies, Darling.

Leeds United (4-2-3-1) -  Silvestri; Berardi (Coyle 46’), Jansson, Cooper (Bartley 71’), Denton; Mowatt, Phillips; Dallas, Grimes, Doukara (Roofe 58’); Antonsson.

Unused Substitutes: Green, Wood, O’Kane, Vieira.

First-Half

Leeds began proceedings, with the visitors attack from right to left. Prior to kick-off, there was an eager air of anticipation among seemingly every practitioner of punditry, with each and every one of them proving hapless in veiling their desire for Garry Monk’s side to flounder against far inferior opposition.

The first foray forward for the visitors arose with just four minutes of play elapsed, a wayward Marcus Antonsson cross from the left swerved and dipped in the air before bouncing off the top of the crossbar, to the relief of the buoyed home contingent who had slithered out of the woodwork because one of English football’s most reputable names were in town.

U’s striker Uche Ikpeazu was a player who many expected to present a sustained attacking threat to Leeds, and the rugged bruiser of a centre-forward would have the hosts’ first chance of the match a mere two minutes later. The 21 year-old, formerly of Watford, arrived late, and unmarked for that matter, in the penalty area before shooting low at Marco Silvestri, forcing the Italian into a low parry to avert the danger, after Liam Cooper had carelessly relinquished possession in his own defensive third with a perfunctory touch.

Leeds would surge forward in response to Ikpeazu’s industrious play on 14 minutes. Alex Mowatt sought to play in the onrushing Antonsson with a deft, dinked pass into the penalty area but the latter’s efforts to bring the ball under control were in vain, and U’s ‘keeper Norris was able to gather the ball with ease.

A minute later, and Cambridge’s talismanic top-scorer, Luke Berry, an adroit midfielder with 15 goals to his name, was presented with an opportunity to open the scoring after a foul by a Leeds defender. Berry promptly assumed the responsibility of taking the resulting set-piece , and from all of 30 yards, he could only watch with exasperation as his audacious effort flew well wide of Silvestri’s right-hand post.

Pontus Jansson had been selected to start the match by Garry Monk, in an attempt to push the Swede ever closer to the stipulated number of appearances required for his loan move to become a permanent one. However, in the 24th minute an event that could bring about severe convulsions for Leeds in the coming weeks; Jansson earnt a tenth yellow card of the season, an offence that now bars him from taking to the field against Derby County and Barnsley in the Whites’ next duo of matches.

The ensuing free-kick was driven into the wall by Berry, but the unrelenting Ikpeazu briskly latched onto the loose ball, before evading Tyler Denton with ease prior to lashing the ball past Marco Silvestri at the near post and into the back of the net.

A fine goal from the former Watford fledgling, though a ubiquitous question posed by Leeds fans will be as to whether Silvestri could have done more in attempting to prevent the goal.

Just before the half-time interval, Leeds would fashion two inviting chances to draw level. On 41 minutes, Alex Mowatt struck a dipping effort toward goal from the edge of the area that called Norris into an acrobatic one-handed save. The resulting corner was met by the head of Cooper, but the central defender’s effort was superbly blocked on the line by an imperious Norris.

HT - Cambridge United 1-0 Leeds United - Ikpeazu (25’)

The hosts took a richly deserved lead into the break, with Ikpeazu’s exquisite strike having given them the advantage. Leeds enjoyed far greater quantities of ball possession comparative to their opponents, but were ponderous on the ball and lethargic when off it, with the high intensity pressing of the hosts impeding the visitors from developing any kind of slick, incisive passing rhythm.

Second-Half

There was one change to speak of at half-time, as Lewie Coyle replaced the cautioned Gaetano Berardi at right-back for Leeds.
Cambridge then kicked off the second-half with Leeds now attacking the end in which their vehement travelling supporters were seated. With merely four minutes of the second-half played, Piero Mingoia saw a driven effort cannon off Tyler Denton and bobble behind for a corner kick.

The consequential corner was whipped in with pace, and though Maeco Silvestri initially flapped at the ball aimlessly, he produced a fine one-handed save to keep out a venemous volley from James Dunne.

Silvestri’s intervention would prove crucial, as just seven minutes later the Whites drew level. Alex Mowatt flighted in a soaring cross from the left channel’s byline that seemed to hang in the air for eternity, before Stuart Dallas met the delivery firmly with his head to guide the ball into the top-left corner and score what was only his first goal of the season.

Souleymane Doukara had been enjoying a consistent run in the Leeds United starting lineup, being deployed as a left-winger to some effect by Garry Monk. After a dismal showing, one that was strewn with error throughout, Monk took the liberty of hauling him off and replacing him with Kemar Roofe on 59 minutes.

Four minutes passed before Leeds turned the game on its head. Dallas had hurtled up the right channel before winning a corner via a deflected cross. The Northern Ireland international then assumed the duty of delivering the resulting set-piece into the area. An inattentive Cambridge defensive block allowed Pontus Jansson a free header on goal that was instinctively diverted into the net by Alex Mowatt for his first goal of the season. In a matter of minutes, the League Two side had managed to cede their hard-earned lead.

Leeds were then forced into a substitution after Liam Cooper sustained an injury that meant he could no longer continue. On came Kyle Bartley, but the seemingly perpetual shortage of centre-backs at Elland Road is surely an issue that will be addressed by the management in the near future.

A fatigued Cambridge, now desperately pursuing an equalising goal, would come agonizingly close to eliminating the arrears with just seven minutes of normal time remaining. The hosts sent in a corner to the far post, which Ikpeazu strenuously tried to make contact with, but the ball eluded the colossal striker, to the consternation of the home support.

With added time fast approaching, the hosts would have their final siege upon the Leeds United goal in the 89th minute. The lively Mingoia fired in a low, driven effort from outside the area that was parried in a maladroit manner by Silvestri, and if not for an imperative intervention by the heroic Kyle Bartley at the last, U’s substitute Ben Williamson would likely have converted the rebound and condemned Leeds to a replay.
Cambridge hurled men forward during the four minutes of added time, but to no avail; the visitors negotiated added time comfortably, and despite a tepid first-half, and a courageous effort on the part of Cambridge, Garry Monk’s side progress into the fourth round of the competition.

FT - Cambridge United 1-2 Leeds United - Ikpeazu (25’), Dallas (56’), Mowatt (63’).

A game of two markedly contrasting halves. Leeds’ second-half performance was vastly improved on their pitiful incompetence throughout the first-half, but the Whites emerged for the second period with a newfound dynamism that saw them run out as eventual 2-1 winners, over what was a plucky Cambridge outfit.

Man Of The Match

Alex Mowatt

Not only did the shunned, almost discarded midfielder provide a sumptuous assist for Stuart Dallas’ equaliser, he also registered his first goal in 14 months, with a slightly fortuitous, but certainly instinctive header from close proximity. The 21 year-old has fallen far down the pecking order at Elland Road, and with his current contract at Elland Road due to expire at the conclusion of the current season, Mowatt shone in the knowledge that he is playing for his future at Leeds United.

Media: Losing manager Shaun Derry and victorious Leeds United head coach Garry Monk

Shaun Derry, speaking to the BBC:

"We want more of this. We want to be on a different stage.

"We are in League Two and it's a tough, tough level and we can make a real claim for the top seven now."

Garry Monk, also speaking to the BBC:

"Cambridge made it very tough for us as we knew they would. They were excellent in that first half, they put pressure on us and were a handful.

"We were able to move the game up the pitch in the second half and got the goals at good times.

"I trust all my players - there's no point in having a squad if you are not going to use them and it will stand them in good stead.

"I love the FA Cup, I've grown up with it and it means a lot to me. All I know is that we use our squad, we respected it and you could see that from how committed we were."

Match Statistics and Facts

Stats - (Cambridge/Leeds)

Possession - 37% / 63%

Shots - 11 / 12

On Target - 4 / 5

Corners - 7 / 4

Fouls - 16 /12

Referee - Craig Pawson

Booked - Berardi, Jansson, Phillips (Leeds)

Attendance - 7,973 (1,400 Leeds)

Writer's Verdict

A hard-fought win over a spirited, cohesive, and industrious Cambridge side who must be given credence for their faultless first-half performance.

I felt as though we emerged for the second-half with a newfound dynamism and as the fitness levels of our opponents deteriorated, we grew stronger and established, then consolidated a solid vicegrip on the game.

The absence of Pontus Jansson is sure to be felt on Friday night, though I understand why Garry Monk elected to play him, in order for his loan contract to become a permanent contract, he must play a certain number of games and at the very least, tonight's match pushed the Swede one step closer to a full-time move.

A trip to either Wimbledon or Sutton United awaits us in the fourth round, but to be truthful, there are far more pressing matters at hand for us to be concerned about. Namely, Friday's televised clash against Derby County - a fixture that bears such importance that it is almost indescribable. Win, and we appear to be destined for an unprecedented top-six finish. Lose, and it could spark an ignominious reversal in our currently prosperous fortunes.

Let us pray that the former outcome is the one that eventuates!

Photo: Action Images

TimWhelan added 17:49 - Jan 10 BT Sport kept going on about the 8 changes, but I thought it was a reasonably strong side. Only Denton has yet to play for us in a league game. But I expected a better performance from some of the fringe players who you would think would be keen to impress once they got a rare start. Only Mowatt came out of it with much credit. Still, all's well that ends well.
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