Leeds United 1-0 Harrogate Town: YEP Reaction as Whites book place in FA Cup Fourth Round
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Well, well, well. Job done, I think, just. Well, it was job done. Leeds United are into
00:07the fourth round. Hat for the FA Cup fourth round draw. But my words, that was not an
00:12uncomfortable ride this evening as Daniel Fax-White recorded a 1-0 victory against Simon
00:18Weaver's Harrogate Townside, League 2 Harrogate Town, who came here fourth bottom in League
00:232. Lots of places between the two sides in the EFL ladder. And I think a lot of the talk
00:29before the game obviously was how many Leeds might score here, etc, etc, especially when
00:34you saw the 11 and bench. But in the end, one goal proved enough. Just one goal seeing
00:39Daniel Farkside through. And the only thing to start with to say here is massive, massive
00:44credit to Harrogate Town, who gave a superb account of themselves. And I mean, I've not
00:49seen what Simon Weaver said yet, but whether he ends up thinking they were unlucky, I don't
00:54know. But they certainly had their chances. And there's no doubt that they caused Leeds
00:57some scares. And definitely, definitely very, very early in the game when Joshua Ghiafoghi
01:02took out, took down March, which looked like a penalty to all of us slotting the stands
01:07anyway. And I think if there was VAR, that might have been interesting. That was definitely
01:11one big scare survived. There were lots of other ones as well. Attacks in the second
01:14half, lots of balls into the box that Leeds had to deal with. Kyle Dallow had a solid
01:19night between the sticks, which was needed. And in the end, yeah, just very, very uncomfortable
01:23really with one goal still proving the deficit right up to the very, very end. And even in
01:27the 94th minute, one late Harrogate Town free kick. Goalkeeper went up for that. I
01:31mean, we all looked at each other then and thought, are we going to wait for extra time
01:33here? But ultimately, Leeds survived it clear, didn't score on the counter when the keeper
01:37was stranded. But one goal proved enough. And that one goal was scored by Largi Ramazzani.
01:42I mean, you know, obviously eight changes were made by Daniel Farke this evening. But
01:47when you're bringing in players like that, it's hardly a weak, weak team. Mulling on
01:51to another one to come in as well. And Ramazzani got the only goal of the game just before
01:56the hour mark. A very, very simple finish, a headed finish from very, very close range.
02:00Goal made by Mana Solomon, who I think was probably just about Leeds United's brightest
02:03spark this evening, certainly from an attacking sense anyway. You would definitely hope that
02:07that would be the case, obviously, against a League Two side. And that's no disrespect
02:10to Harrogate Town. But obviously, you know, there should be a big golfing class between
02:13these two sides. And I suppose in the end, finishing really an attacking player was the
02:17difference. But one goal is the only difference in the scoreline. And really the only takeaway
02:22you can take from this evening is basically that it's job done. And as I say, they are
02:25into the fourth round draw, which takes place on Sunday after Arsenal's game against Manchester
02:31United. So look, everybody knows the promotion to the Premier League is this season's priority.
02:37By a million miles, that's the priority. Of course, it is. If Leeds can have a cup run
02:40at the same time, then great, as long as it doesn't distract the league form. They should
02:44have a big enough squad to be able to do both and get a bit of a run going. Ultimately,
02:47it will all depend on who they get in the fourth round draw and hopefully if they get
02:51through that, who they get thereafter. But as I say, they're into the hat. The other
02:55thing tonight to really take away from it is the injury returns. Two players coming
02:58back, two big players coming back. Junior Firpo, who's obviously been out of his hamstring
03:02injury. He came on as a second half sub. Huge cheers as he came on. Anilia Gruev, who has
03:07obviously been out even longer after knee surgery. He was on as well. I think it was
03:10the 89th minute. Big cheers as he was introduced as well. So those two players both back in
03:15the mix, which is good to see. Pascal Stroik was also here. He started. Guy Arvogui played
03:19as a centre-back tonight, which I don't think many people saw come in. There's no hiding
03:23from it. He struggled as a centre-back this evening. He was given a very, very hard night.
03:26He was booked. March caused him lots and lots of problems. And as I say, it looked to us
03:30a lot like Leeds were very, very lucky to avoid not concede a penalty at that very,
03:35very early stage. And obviously, if that goes in, it maybe changes the game a bit. Although
03:38saying that, I mean, Harrogate Town did just sit back a lot and defend very, very well.
03:42But if they'd have got that penalty, then who knows what would have happened? And as
03:46I say, it wasn't just that penalty shout. There were other chances as well for Simon
03:50Weaver's side, who, like I say, could go away from here with an enormous, enormous
03:54credit. They did very, very well indeed. And obviously, you know, two clubs very friendly
03:57with each other and very, very best of luck for them for the rest of the season. Their
04:01season, obviously, is all about staying in the Football League. They worked very, very
04:04hard to get to Football League status. They worked on the Harrogate Advertiser before
04:08covering that club when they were non-league. And it's great to see them now, obviously,
04:11in the EFL fourth bottom. And it's just all about staying out of those bottom two places
04:15for them. If they play like that, they won't have any problems whatsoever because that
04:19was a very, very good display. Just sort of like that cutting edge at the end. But, you
04:23know, that's not saying much against a lead side, who have obviously been so strong defensively.
04:28Kyle Darno obviously came in to Nets this evening for Hélène Méliès, but that wasn't
04:32really a reflection of his mistakes in the most recent game in the 3-3 draw. At Hull
04:39City, it was always planned that he would come in. I think reading between the lines
04:43from Daniel Fart's comments, it's pretty much pressure. It sounds to me, anyway, like
04:46that Méliès will come back in against Sheffield Wednesday. You know, very, very defensive
04:50for Hélène Méliès in his press conference. He did say, you know, obviously he's not played
04:55great in some games and has cost Leeds some goals this season. But I fully expect him
04:58to come back in. But Darno definitely didn't do his chances any harm this evening. Pretty
05:02solid in between the sticks. He dropped one cross, which was a bit worrying that Leeds
05:06managed to clear. But a couple of good bits of goalkeeping. There was another chance the
05:10second half when March was in again and he came flying out and a big save at his feet.
05:14That was another big scare, really. A big save, that. Good goalkeeping. So he did his
05:18prospects no harm whatsoever. And Isaac Schmidt, who got a very, very rare start. One or two
05:24players would have given a full debut, along with Guy Arvogui. Thought he was very, very
05:27good in the first half, really getting forward from right back. I mean, it's strange that
05:32he hasn't really been given much of a chance, but he definitely looks like an option. He
05:35sort of faded a bit in the second half, but he was definitely one of the better players
05:39as well. Solomon was the one who would look like making things happen. Should be said
05:43also, we can talk about this being a close encounter tonight and whatever, and one goal
05:47in it and Leeds sort of scraping through, if you like, if you want to put it that way.
05:50But they were denied twice by the woodwork as well, the frame of the goal. Matteo Joseph,
05:54I think everyone's just desperate for him to score. I think a goal would do wonders
05:57for his confidence. Very unlucky to sort of create space on the edge of the box. Wriggled
06:02free, really good low shot, cannon back off the post. I mean, just unlucky. And then in
06:06the second half, the crossbar as well, denying Solomon when he cut inside after being played
06:12in by Byron. I mean, that was very, very lucky as well. Just skimmed off the top of the bar.
06:15So, you know, fight margins and stuff. Obviously on another day, those two go in and Leeds win
06:203-0 and maybe take another one of their chances. But like I say, on another day, that penalty
06:24is given at the start and that was very, very early on. And, you know, you just don't know
06:26what happens if that penalty is given. So, you know, all if but some maybes. I mean,
06:31I for one, especially when I saw that team sheet and especially the bench, I thought
06:35Leeds would probably win by three or four. But I mean, you know, all being proved completely
06:39wrong. And as I say, the game was basically in the balance right up until the 94th minute.
06:44But in the end, you know, a win is a win. I don't think anybody wanted extra time in this weather.
06:48I'm struggling to even hold the phone, it's that cold now. But no one wanted extra time.
06:52I mean, we spared extra time and we got the result we wanted with Leeds
06:55united into the hat for the fourth round of the FA Cup. We'll wait and see if we have a cup run.
07:00As I say, it's not the priority. Let's not beat around the bush. It definitely isn't.
07:03But if we get one, then great. The other word to say on tonight is the crowd, whatever it was,
07:0735, 36,000, absolutely amazing. You know, it looked like as we were coming up to the game,
07:13we were sort of thinking it might be full and then you sort of emerged that it was a sellout. So
07:16absolutely phenomenal support. Daniel Farke actually said post-match as well that what
07:20do you want from the next round? Basically said he wanted a home draw, which is no surprise.
07:23And I thought it was quite nice to what he said as well. He said he wanted a home draw.
07:27Also, you know, to give up fans who can't get in at league matches, basically a chance to come
07:31and see them again. So, you know, that was a nice touch, really. And I think that, you know,
07:36that's definitely something nice. If you can get another home draw in the second round.
07:41But anyway, it's a bit too cold to be rabbiting on. The bottom line is,
07:44is that Leeds United recorded a 1-0 victory. They're in the hat for the fourth round.
07:49And that is it for now. A very, very cold Ellen Road. Leeds United 1, Harrogate Town 0.