Sutton United 1 Leeds United 0: Liam Cooper's dismissal compounds Whites' embarrassing exit

LEEDS United crashed out of the FA Cup after losing to non-league opposition for the second time in their history, National League side Sutton United their conquerors in the fourth round.
Leeds United captain Liam Copper, sat on ground, is shown a red card in the defeat at Sutton United (Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).Leeds United captain Liam Copper, sat on ground, is shown a red card in the defeat at Sutton United (Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).
Leeds United captain Liam Copper, sat on ground, is shown a red card in the defeat at Sutton United (Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe).

United’s head coach Garry Monk made 10 changes to his side and handed debuts to Billy Whitehouse and Paul McKay as the likes of Chris Wood, Pontus Jansson and Kyle Bartley were all rested.

And after being outplayed throughout the entire first half, Leeds fell behind in the 54th minute when Lewie Coyle upended Roarie Deacon in the area and home captain Jamie Collins calmly stroked home the penalty.

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United never once looked like equalising and had to finish the game with 10 men when captain Liam Cooper was sent off for picking up a second yellow card.

Sutton had made their intentions clear in the second minute when Craig Eastmond crunched into Matt Grimes and after just six minutes the home side had the ball in the back of the net, but Deacon’s clinical rising finish was ruled offside.

A long ball over the top had centre-backs Cooper and debutant McKay chasing shadows, but Leeds were saved by the assistant referee’s flag, just as Sutton’s home faithful began to celebrate.

The non-league hosts were on the front foot and only a fine save by Marco Silvestri denied Sutton an opener six minutes later as the Italian tipped a fine 25-yard effort from Deacon again over the bar.

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Cooper then got himself in a mess and was booked for taking down Bedsente Gomis as Sutton continued on the front foot.

Gomis then went mightily close to breaking the deadlock just before the half-hour mark when his low shot from six yards out was stopped by Silvestri’s backside.

Leeds responded by finally creating their first chance, but an attempted lob from Stuart Dallas did not carry enough height to clear home goalkeeper Ross Worner.

Tyler Denton then entered the book for fouling the troublesome Deacon before Denton fed Dallas, whose low shot was deflected wide as Leeds threatened to get going.

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The lively Denton was then inches away from bagging Leeds a 40th-minute penalty, but Deacon’s foul after the left-back’s surging run forward was just outside the area and Kalvin Phillips saw his free-kick saved.

Sutton remained a threat and only another strong save by Silvestri kept out a thunderbolt from Deacon shortly before half-time.

Leeds began the second half on the attack, but after jinking inside from the right flank, Whitehouse saw his low shot deflected wide for a corner, which was cleared.

Just three minutes later Sutton took the lead when a long ball from Nicky Bailey had United’s chasing defence in disarray, so much so that Coyle fouled Deacon to concede a penalty.

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In an attempt to deal with the danger, Coyle and Silvestri collided with each other and Coyle then caught Deacon, who was spent sprawling to the ground as referee Stuart Atwell pointed to the spot.

Captain Collins stood up to take the penalty and sent Silvestri the wrong way to give Sutton a 54th-minute lead.

The Leeds response was limited, despite Monk sending on Hadi Sacko for Dallas and then another debutant in Mallik Wilks, on for Doukara and playing just three days after his brother was killed in Harehills on Thursday afternoon.

Kemar Roofe was then introduced for Whitehouse in one final throw of the dice, shortly after Sutton had seen claims for a second penalty waved away for handball.

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A total waste of a 77th-minute free-kick by Grimes summed up his and United’s afternoon.

Things went from bad to worse in the 83rd minute when Cooper took out Eastmond with a late sliding tackle and was sent off for a second yellow card.

Adam May went close to adding a second for Sutton when whipping a fierce shot just wide and Leeds rarely threatened in a generous five and a half minutes of stoppage-time with Marcus Antonsson ballooning a wild shot over the bar.

Leeds United: Silvestri, Coyle, McKay, Cooper, Denton, Grimes, Phillips, Whitehouse (Roofe 73), Dallas (Sacko 57), Doukara (Wilks 64), Antonsson. Unused substitutes: Peacock-Farrell, Vieira, Ayling, Vann.

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Sutton United: Worner, Amankwaah, Collins, Gomis, May (Traore 90), Eastmond, Bailey, Spence, Deacon, Biamou, Downer. Unused substitutes: John, Fitchett, Gueye, Monakana, Tubbs, Shaw.

Referee: S Atwell (Warwickshire).