Leeds United’s 2-1 loss to Peterborough was Garry Monk’s and the Whites’ first reverse of the preseason. This means that United will be facing their last pre-season opponents, in Serie A side Atalanta, next Saturday coming off a loss.
The game itself was won by the virtue of two long range shots by Peterborough striker Shaquile Coulthirst that evaded the despairing dives of Leeds’ keeper Rob Green. This came after Alex Mowatt had put the Whites ahead after turning in Kemar Roofe’s neat waist-high ball into the Peterborough area.
The story of the first-half was one of almost constant Leeds pressing, the Whites driving forward at their League One opponents with Kemar Roofe looking particularly tasty down the left flank. At times it was Zulu-esque with Peterbrough having to repel wave-after-wave of Leeds attackers. However, despite their industry, the Whites only had the one goal to show for it after 45 minutes.
The second half started badly for Leeds, Coulthirst notching his first after 48 minutes with a rasping, venemous strike from distance. Peterborough began to apply some pressure and this paid dividends as Coulthirst notched his second from outside of the area. Leeds still pressed forward, with the hosts relying on keeper Ben Alnwick to maintain their ascendency.
Football by Numbers – a Twitter game report
2. Chance! Good play from Roofe, who tees up Mowatt for a 25-yard strike – Alnwick pushes away at full-stretch (0-0) #lufc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 23, 2016
7. Taylor drives down the left and delivers a decent cross towards Antonsson, but Alnwick is there for @theposhofficial (0-0) #lufc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 23, 2016
16. Brilliant from Roofe, who twisted and turned inside the hosts' area before delivering a cross for Mowatt to hammer home! (0-1) #lufc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 23, 2016
23. Chance! Roofe does brilliantly again and crosses for Mowatt in a similar position to his goal, but Alnwick holds the strike (0-1) #lufc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 23, 2016
33. Chance! Mowatt is agonisingly close to netting a stunning second, curling inches wide from 25 yards following a loose ball (0-1) #lufc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 23, 2016
37. Chance! Sacko surges into the area but is blocked by Alnwick's legs before Murphy smashes over the bar (0-1) #lufc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 23, 2016
What a strike that was. Superb left-footed effort from around 25-yards into the bottom corner. @theposhofficial 1-1 @LUFC
— Posh Match Day Live (@PoshMatchLive) July 23, 2016
54. Chance! Roofe cuts inside and sees his strike fizz wide of the far post via a deflection. Antonsson heads the corner over (1-1) #lufc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 23, 2016
Maddison a whisker away from making it 2-1, right-footed shot goes inches past the far post.
— Posh Match Day Live (@PoshMatchLive) July 23, 2016
62. @theposhofficial are denied by a superb block from the well-placed Bamba following Maddison's powerful strike (1-1) #lufc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 23, 2016
GOAL | Coulthirst is at it again, another excellent effort, 25-yards, bottom corner and Posh lead 2-1.
— Posh Match Day Live (@PoshMatchLive) July 23, 2016
77. Chance! Sacko bursts into the area before being denied by Alnwick's near-post block (2-1) #lufc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 23, 2016
84. Chance! Sacko bustles his way into the area but Alnwick is there again to deny with his feet (2-1) #lufc
— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 23, 2016
It was an entertaining game and Leeds fans got a glimpse of the high-octane attack that the Whites will hopefully be able to put out with more consistency as the team gel together better. The first half display was a Leeds that hasn’t been seen for a while, one Peterborough fan I know summed up Leeds’ opening 45 by simply saying “you are battering us.” Thing is, you can batter away, have X amounts of chances and shots on target but at the end of the day the only numbers that count are the goals. Leeds were on the end of two of them in their first taste of league opposition.