TWO smart pieces of finishing by Rod Wallace sank his old club's reserve team at York's Bootham Crescent last night.
Wallace, who won a League Championship medal with Leeds in 1992, scored a couple of minutes either side of half-time to give Bolton Wanderers a deserved 2-0 FA Barclaycard Premiership Reserve League victory.
It was well merited as United's strong line-up failed to knit together in a poor display.
To add to United's embarrassment three of their England internationals - David Batty, Alan Smith and Jason Wilcox collected bookings.
For Smith it was another step on the road to recovery after his ankle problems but hardly got a sniff in front of goal because the supply from midfield and the flanks was so poor.
Bolton were far more cohesive and went ahead when Jacob Burns lost the ball in midfield and Wallace clipped the ball wide of the exposed Paul Robinson.
Failure to keep possession cost United again just after the interval when Shane Cansdell-Sheriff's stray pass enabled Wallace to race through and clip the ball over Robinson.
The Leeds keeper then produced a stunning one-handed save to deny Wallace a hat-trick but United were unable to get into the game.
New signing Seth Johnson didn't play as he had been involved in a team-building golf charity day with the senior squad. The other four Leeds players on the bench for Sunday's 0-0 home draw with Chelsea - Robinson, Woodgate, Smith and Stephen McPhail - did play last night
Johnson has yet to turn out for for Leeds since last week's £7million move from Derby, but manager David O'Leary is thought to be pleased with the 22-year-old's level of fitness.
Leeds United Res: Robinson, Kelly, Duberry, Woodgate, Cansdell-Sheriff (McMaster 77), Burns, Batty, McPhail, Wilcox, Smith, Farrell (Johnson 60).
Subs (not used): Milosevic, Newey. Cautions: Wilcox, Batty, Smith.
Bolton Wanderers Res: Price, Southall, Diawara, Livesey, Richardson, Taylor, Norris (Dootson HT), Farrelly, Smith, Nishizawa, Wallace. Subs (not used): Williams, Hunt, Byrne, Downey. Scorer: Wallace 44, 46.
Referee: Gary Sutton
Attendance: 907
Updated: 12:37 Wednesday, October 24, 2001
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