Key events
36 min: Close! Leeds almost double their lead but Toby Savin gets a finger-tip to a rising Luis Sinisterra drive and manages to divert the ball on to the woodwork.
35 min: From an Accrington throw-in, Shaun Whalley whips a vicious cross into the heart of the Leeds penalty area. Meslier can’t hold it but Leeds clear in the ensuing scramble.
33 min: Bamford runs on to a through ball from deep and tests Accrington goalkeeper Savin with a first-time strike towards the near post. It’s a very feeble effort that doesn’t trouble Savin in the slightest.
31 min: Good work from Rutter, who controls a pass from Bamford and tries to tee up Luis Sinisterra with an inviting, low curled pass through the Accrington penalty area. There’s a mite too much weight on the delivery and the Colombian can’t quite connect despite stretching every sinew.
29 min: Nothing of note comes from the set-piece and Leeds go on the attack again. From a promising position, a mix-up between Luis Sinesterra and Jack Harrison results in the Leeds goalscorer putting the ball out of play for a goal-kick.
27 min: From the corner, Accrington break upfield with Shaun Whalley on the ball. He picks out Aaron Pressley to his left and his low shot from a tight angle is put behind for a corner by Meslier.
26 min: Accrington win a fre-kick just outside their own penalty area and goalkeeper Savin takes it long. Leeds win possession and break forward in great numbers. Marc Roca’s shot on goal is deflected over the bar by a desperate Liam Coyle lunge.
25 min: It wasn’t in the top or bottom bin but somewhere in between. Either way, Accrington goalkeeper Toby Savin had little or no chance of getting anything on that Harrison howitzer.
GOAL! Accrington Stanley 0-1 Leeds United (Harrison 23)
Leeds go ahead! Jack Harrison runs on to a pass from Sam Greenwood and sends a screamer arrowing into the corner from at least 25 yards out. That’s a fine strike.
22 min: Accrington win a free-kick wide on the right, a long way out. McConville tries to stealk a few yards but is ordered back by referee Josh Smith. He subsequently floats the ball to the edge of the Leeds penalty area, where the ball is cleared.
20 min: A Junior Firpo delivery into the Accrington penalty area is headed clear by Harvey Rodgers. That Rutter miss aside, Leeds are struggling badly to create anything in the way of a decent scoring opportunity.
19 min: Luis Sinisterra cuts inside from the left and into the Accrington penalty area. He’s dispossessed by Roasarie Longelo, who he subsequently fouls. Free-kick for Accrington.
17 min: A Leeds attack breaks down when, receiving the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the Accrington penalty area, Georginio Rutter miscontrols and gives it away.
15 min: Shooting on the turn, Shaun Whalley tries to steer a low cross from the right inside Meslier’s near post from a tight angle. It’s too tight and the Leeds goalkeeper saves easily. Accrington are very much in the ascendency in these early stages.
13 min: Accrington win themselves a free-kick for a foul by Sam Greenwood. The ball’s placed about 35 yards from the Leeds goal, a little left of centre. McConville plays the ball sideways to Ethan Hamilton, whose shot is blocked. The ball breraks back in the direction of McConville, whose rising drive is straight at and saved comfortably by Meslier.
12 min: Accrington have settled into the game well, far more comfortably than their visitors from the Premier League, who have yet to hit their stride.
10 min: It’s worth noting that Rutter can probably be excused a little ring-rustiness as this is the first game he’s played since lining up for Hoffenheim against Wolfsburg in mid-November.
7 min: Playing five across the back, Accrington are playing long balls into the Leeds penalty area from a variety of angles. Leeds have lined up in a 4-4-2, with Georginio Rutter playing as a second striker behind Patrick Bamford. Rutter gets his first sight of goal in English football but, running on to a pass from the left, pulls the ball wide of the far upright from straight in front of goal just inside the penalty area. He should have scored there, or at the very least hit the target. Useless! Get him out before the window closes!
5 min: Accrington play a long diagonal into the Leeds box which Meslier doesn’t deal with particularly well. In the ensuing scramble, the ball is put out for an Accrington corner which Leeds clear.
5 min: Accrington wing-back Sean McConville tries his luck with a long range effort that doesn’t particularly trouble Ilan Meslier in the Leeds goal.
4 min: Sam Greenwood catches Liam Coyle with his arm as the pair contest a dropping ball and Accrington win themselves a free-kick.
3 min: Accrington’s Aaron Pressley is penalised for offside as he tries to run on to a ball from deep.
2 min: Leeds corner. The ball’s sent towards the far post, where Accrington goalkeeper Toby Savin leaps to claim confidently.
1 min: Accrington striker Shaun Whalley concedes an early throw-in, shipping a late challenge from Junior Firpo in the process. What looked like a foul goes unpunished and Firpo takes the throw-in.
Accrington Stanley v Leeds |United is go …
1 min: On one of the biggest days in their history, Accrington get the ball rolling, with Ethan Hamilton doing the honours. Their players wear red shirts, shorts and socks, while those of Leeds are in all white kit.
Not long now: There’s a 50-50 split between the fans at the 5,450-capacity Wham Stadium and they make plenty of noise as the teams make their way out on to the pitch and line up either side of referee Josh Smith and his assistants.
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Today’s match officials
Referee: Josh Smith
Assistant referees: Sam Lewis and Akil Howson
Fourth official: Stephen Martin
NB: There is no VAR in place for today’s match, which will be replayed if it ends in a draw after 90 minutes.
Accrington Stanley v Leeds United line-ups
Accrington Stanley: Savin, Astley, Longelo, Tharme, Rodgers, Coyle, Hamilton, Pressley, McConville, Whalley, Leigh.
Subs: Jensen, Nolan, Perritt, Martin, Quirk, Woods, Adekoya, Pickles, Fernandes.
Leeds United: Meslier, Firpo, Kristensen, Wober, Koch, Roca, Greenwood, Harrison, Sinisterra, Rutter, Bamford.
Subs: Robles, Van den Heuvel, Ayling, Llorente, Gyabi, Aaronson, Perkins, Rodrigo, Joseph.
Team news: John Coleman makes two changes to the side that beat Boreham Wood after extra time on Tuesday, with Aaron Pressley and Rosaire Longeleu coming into the side for George Nottingham and Dan Martin.
Jesse Marsch hands the captaincy to Patrick Bamford and a debut to record signing Georginio Rutter, two of six changes to the Leeds team that drew against Brentford in the Premier League last weekend. Rasmus Kristensen, Junior Firpo, Sam Greenwood and Luis Sinisterra also come into the side. Brenden Aaronson, Luke Ayling, Pascal Struijk, Rodrigo, Wilfried Gnonto and the injured Tyler Adams make way.
Early team news
Accrington are without midfielder Joe Pritchard and David Morgan, as well as Australian defender Jay Rich-Bagheuleu, who have all been ruled out for the rest of the season. Seamus Coneely and Mitchell Clark are also sidelined, while Mohammed Sangare is approaching full fitness but probably won’t feature today. Central defender Michael Nottingham is out after limping out of Accrington’s third round replay against Boreham Wood on Tuesday night.
Leeds are without Adam Forshaw, Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray, while skipper Liam Cooper is rated at no more than 50-50 to start today. Jesse Marsch has stated that winger Luis Sinisterra will start today, while Leeds fans are also expected to get their first opportunity to run the rule over striker Georginio Rutter, their new record signing brought in from Hoffenheim for £35m.
FA Cup fourth round: Accrington v Leeds United
The Wham Stadium will be putting the boom-boom into the hearts of Accrington Stanley fans as their team hosts Leeds for the first in their history this afternoon. While these clubs are separated by just 55 miles on the map, they have met just twice previously, at Elland Road in the League Cup and EFL Trophy, with Leeds running out winners on both occasions.
Despite their struggles in the Premier League, Jesse Marsch’s side are hot favourites to prevail again today against their hosts from League One, although an upset would come as no massively seismic surprise. Kick-off in Lancashire is at 12.30pm but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
