BOLTON WANDERERS 2-2 LEEDS UNITED
Under 23 Professional Development League: North Division
Monday 18th December, The County Ground (Lancashire FA HQ), PR25 2LF
Goalscorers: Hall (1), Lonsdale (58)

A last-gasp Kun Temenuzhkov equaliser denied Bolton Wanderers U23s an eighth consecutive league victory as Leeds United claimed a share of the spoils late on in an entertaining clash.

Connor Hall had initially given Wanderers an early lead, before Bryce Hosannah equalised shortly before the interval. Cole Lonsdale had then reclaimed the advantage for the hosts during the second half, but David Lee’s men couldn't hold on to the three points.

Hall’s 12th goal in 12 games provided the perfect start for Wanderers after just 60 seconds. The striker capitalised on a mix up in the Leeds defence to round goalkeeper Will Huffer and slot home.

The match was played at a high tempo; Bolton were organised in defence and broke forward with pace, while United were encouraged to play from the back and move forward with the ball.

As the first half progressed, Leeds grew into the game and a switch of play found their dangerous left winger Jack Clarke, who beat his man and broke into the area. He fired his cross into the box but Mark Howard was alert to the danger.

Hall was a constant threat for Wanderers, stretching Leeds’ defence and linking up fantastically with Jack Earing on the left-hand side. This was demonstrated around the half-hour mark when Earing’s defence-splitting pass found Hall, who beat the offside trap but was denied by Huffer who made a good save.

Leeds had their best chance of the half after 36 minutes. Successive chances from Clarke and Hugo Diaz were denied, before the Bolton ‘keeper misjudged the resulting corner and Liam Morris was called into action to head Paudie O’Connor’s effort off the line.

And it wasn’t long before the visitors found an equaliser. Four minutes before half-time, Hosannah drove at the Wanderers defence, played a one-two with Jamie Shackleton and found the bottom corner.

Leeds started the second half as they’d finished the first, with Clarke again threatening, but it was Wanderers who struck once more through Lonsdale just before the hour mark.

Jeff King’s low corner was played directly into Lonsdale’s path, and the striker made no mistake as he unleashed a spectacular strike from the edge of the box to reclaim the lead for his side in style.

Wanderers had a good chance to extend their lead when Lonsdale’s cross was headed just over the bar by Adam Mitchell, but Leeds were fighting hard to get something from the game.

Substitute Alex Machuca fired straight at Howard, before Hosannah almost notched another from a close-range header with five minutes remaining.

The visitors increased the pressure and, in stoppage time, found another equaliser. With just moments to go, Temenuzhkov, on as a late substitute, pounced on the loose ball after a blocked shot from a corner, finding the bottom corner with a low shot from the edge of the box.

Bolton Wanderers: Howard, Brockbank, Morris, Mitchell, Edwards, Perry, White (Fearnley, 87), Earing, Hall, King, Lonsdale
Subs not used: Navarro, Aspinall, Jones-Griffiths, Moulden

Leeds United: Huffer, Hosannah, Kitching, Diaz, O’Connor, Vieira (Pearce, 78), Rey, Shackleton, Balboa (Machuca, 68), Sarkic, Clarke (Temenuzhkov, 85)
Subs not used: Male, Oduor

All County Ground Fixtures