The result is everything in football but there were a number of positives the youthful City side could take from this clash at Elland Road.

Even though the lads sustained another heavy defeat for the first twenty minutes they were the better side.

Jimmy Philips, Daryl Fordyce (a trialist from Portsmouth) and Marc Grocott all had very good chances.

Twenty minutes into the match it started to go pear-shaped with Leeds scoring, a goal that went against the run of play.

Almost immediately after conceding the goal, another blow struck the Potters side when Geoff McGaw was sent off for an innocuous foul.

By half-time City had conceded another two and knew the second-half would be backs-to-the-wall defending.

Coach Mark O'Connor commented, "Before the sending off the team performed really well and considering the pressure they were under in the second-half they showed real enthusiasm for the fight."

LEEDS 5 - Howson (18, 78), Rothery (23), Thompson (35), Ameobi (50 pen)

CITY 0

LEEDS: Knight, Hutton (Ovington 72), Fisher, Thompson (Hotchkiss 46), Wilkinson, Grace, Gardner, Howson, Ameobi (T. Elliott 76), Rothery, Rose. Subs (not used): Cartman, Vermooten.

CITY: St. Louis-Hamilton, Doyle, Watson, Keys (Brunt 70), Robinson, Lordy (Williams, 75), Philips, Grocott, Opoka (McCormack 80), Fordyce, McCaw. Subs (not used): Kalipha, Ryan, Brunt.