Leeds United midfielder reflects on incredible week with contract signed, captain first & Premier League 2 win
Ollie Pickles was heavily involved as Leeds United picked up an important Premier League 2 victory on Monday night.
Leeds United Under-21s showed plenty of grit and steel in holding on to a 1-0 win in their latest Premier League 2 match at Norwich City on Monday night.
Winger Connor Douglas scored the eventual winner on 36 minutes, rounding off an excellent counter-attack that also involved two of Leeds’ most promising youngsters. Harry Gray led the charge with a driving run before playing Ollie Pickles down the right-wing.
Pickles, who signed his first professional contract aged 17 last week, fizzed a ball across the box which eventually fell for Douglas, who fired home 10 minutes before half-time. Leeds were made to defend their lead at the LNER Community Stadium in York as Norwich pushed for an equaliser.
The young Whites had goalkeeper Darryl Ombang to thank for an astounding save midway through the second-half, with Rory Mahady’s replacement sprawling to deny Dylan Jones what looked like a certain equaliser. Three points is enough to send Scott Gardner’s side up to ninth in the Premier League 2 table and provide an impressive follow-up to last week’s Premier League International Cup win over Sporting CP.
“I thought the first half was very similar to the last round of games where we were the most dominant side with the ball and then the second half was the opposite,” Gardner told LUTV. “We had to grind it out and we showed a different aspect of our game. I thought defensively we were solid, barring the one opportunity that Darryl [Ombang] makes that fantastic save. I thought it was pretty controlled in all honesty.
“We spoke about it in the competitive games this season. We won, lost, won, lost. So, we needed to have a game where we had back-to-back victories and we have done that with a clean sheet. So really, really pleased.”
Ollie Pickles reacts after signing first professional Leeds United contract
And Monday’s win in York capped off an excellent few days for Pickles, who last week put pen to paper on his first professional contract after captaining the Under-21s in a 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace. The midfielder grabbed the assist for Douglas’ eventual winner, via a deflection, and reflected on his personal performances after full-time.
“A really good game,” He said. “I think the second half showed a different side of us. Compared to Sporting last week where we dominated the ball, I think it showed our gritty side that we can dig in as a team and, yeah, just happy to get the win over the line.
“There was mix of players with Dougi [Connor Douglas] and Cress [Alfie Cresswell] and Dev [Devon Brockie], but I think we all showed our side with the ball and off the ball we can dig in, we can stop the passes through. I think it showed a good side to us tonight.
“I am playing really well. I feel like I couldn’t be in a better place. I have got good staff around me, good players around me, always helping me. I am always trying to better myself and do my best on the pitch and off the pitch for the lads as well.”