First-team coach Mark Jackson has explained the importance of the Leeds United academy after a number of players contributed to last week's win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Whites recovered from going two goals down to secure a 'much-needed' 3-2 victory at Molineux to move seven points clear of the relegation zone.
Goals from Jonny Otto and Francisco Trincao put Wolves in the ascendancy, before the hosts were reduced to ten-men. Raul Jimenez was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge on Illan Meslier.
This proved to be the turning point in the game as Leeds scored times in the second half, with Jack Harrison, Rodrigo and Luke Ayling all netting to secure a second successive win for the Whites. It felt like a massive win in the context of Leeds' season and Jackson has expressed his delight to secure all three points before the international break.
READ MORE: Mark Jackson details first conversation with Jesse Marsch at Leeds United
When asked about the Wolves comeback, he told the Official Leeds United Podcast: "It was a follow-on from the Norwich game, wasn't it? In the first half when we started losing players, we lost the spine of the team and we forget that sometimes.
"We did a lot of work on Wolves and they don't concede many goals at all, so for them to score two goals and then us to try and get back into the game in the manner that they did was fantastic. It's all credit to the players, they're on the pitch, they go out there, they cross the white line.
"They had to roll their sleeves up and they did to good effect. Listen, it was a much-needed result and it has taken us into the international break now in good shape."
Having previously managed the club's Under 23s side, Jackson has been responsible for the development of Joe Gelhardt, Sam Greenwood and Charlie Cresswell, while others have also made their first-team debuts this season. It's something that Leeds supporters are enjoying as the Whites look to progress the younger players into senior regulars in the future.
With all three making an impact in the recent wins over Wolves and Norwich, Jackson believes it has made him and all of the academy staff 'proud'. He also added that it has been a focus of theirs to progress them into the first team.
He said: "It's a proud moment for everyone in the academy who has worked with the players. Not just myself, there's a lot of work gone into developing the players and even the players who have come in and have only been here a short space of time like Sam Greenwood and Joe Gelhardt.
"Since they have come into the club, we have worked with them really hard and also Charlie Cresswell who has been at the club since an early age. All of them have really contributed to the victory as well, not just against Wolves but against Norwich too."
