Leeds United Under-21s saw their National League Cup knockout stage hopes ended after a 1-0 defeat at Tamworth on Tuesday.
Head coach Scott Gardner was without a number of Under-21s regulars including the likes of Jayden Lienou, Alfie Cresswell and Carrick Njinko. He made several changes from the side that recently beat Barnsley 4-3.
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Tamworth’s Oliver Dyson scored the only goal of the game in the 43rd minute, volleying home from close-range. A young Leeds side were able to match their senior opponents physically but couldn’t find a leveller.
Defeat in the penultimate group stage game of the National League Cup leaves Leeds sixth in their eight-team Group C. They are four points shy of Boreham Wood in second, with the top two reaching the knockout stages.
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“I don't think in the first half we played with enough bravery,” Boss Gardner said after the defeat. “We were much better in the second half, but didn't create enough for the quality that we had on the pitch.
“Tamworth play in a different way which we're not used to. I actually thought that side of the game, the physicality, the lads did really, really well. But we should have done better with the ball.
"It's unusual for us at the minute to not score, so that's disappointing. We just didn't do enough in the first half, to create enough chances and put them under enough pressure."
Gardner’s side round off their National League Cup campaign at rock-bottom Hartlepool United on Tuesday November 3. They will look to end on a high but with that four-point gap to Boreham Wood cannot be made up.
The young Whites have a quick turnaround, hosting Stockport County Under-21s on Friday. Looking ahead to that game, Gardner added: "We want to entertain more than we did this evening."