Leeds United Reserves 6-0 Gateshead Reserves

Gateshead battled gamely for an hour in their first appearance at Elland Road before top Championship outfit Leeds United turned the screw in the final half hour.

Trailing to a Nathan Turner goal on the half hour Gateshead conceded a disappointing second goal and from then on Paul Bryson's side were firmly on the back foot.

Paul Heckingbottom battled manfully at the centre of defence and captain Craig Baxter was another to put in a good shift, but the second half proved difficult as Leeds poured forward.

Debutant keeper Jonny Ball, recently released by Carlisle United, was in action early on, the teenager making a string of saves to keep United at bay.

Sanchez Watt volleyed over in the first minute and then Ross McCormack got goal side of Heckingbottom only for Ball to spread himself and block the striker's angled shot.

From the resultant corner Ball saved from Ben Parker and Honduran international Ramon Nunez before Richard Offiong's shot at the other end hit a defender after good work from James Marwood.

Gary Mulligan, playing his first game from several weeks, had a chance to put Gateshead in front but his near post free header from Baxter's cross lacked power.

Ashley Winn's 25 yard shot was easily held by Shane Higgs before Mulligan gave away the ball cheaply just inside his own half.

Turner worked a one-two on the edge of the box before side-footing past Ball and into the bottom corner.

Winn had a chance to level just before the break but shot straight at Higgs, as a precaution Mulligan then failed to appear for the second half.

Apart from a couple of notable exceptions Gateshead's crossing was generally poor and the service to the front two limited.

McCormack put Adam Clayton in after the break but his shot was wide of the far post as Ball advanced while Offiong drilled an inviting cross into the danger area which no-one got on the end of.

Josh Gillies had a shot deflected wide as the Tynesiders tried to restore parity but it was the home side who doubled their lead on the hour.

Ball was undone at his near post by Nunez after he had cut inside Heckingbottom to strike a low left foot shot and after that it was one way traffic towards the Gateshead goal.

In a rare threat Offiong failed to get a head on Baxter's excellent cross and it was immediately three when McCormack found the roof of the net from Watt's angled pass.

Three then became four when former Charlton man Lloyd Sam's dink into the box was superbly hooked home by Watt with the outside of his boot.

Leeds were now turning on the style and on loan Arsenal winger Watt left three defenders in his wake two minutes later to round Ball and walk the ball into the empty net.

A defensive mix-up amost saw Gillies score a consolation goal but his header cleared both Higgs and the post, Watt then setting up Leeds sixth as McCormack finished clinically.

Gateshead Res: Ball, Baxter, Baptist, Winn (Lay 82), Heckingbottom, Gilbert, Marwood, Gillies (J.Bogie 82), Mulligan (Brown 46), Offiong, Nelthorpe