Dominic Tear and Lewis O’Brien were on target for Huddersfield Town Under 23s, but their goals couldn’t prevent Leeds United winning 3-2 in their Professional Development League clash at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Leeds fielded seven players with first-team experience, including Northern Ireland winger Stuart Dallas, Alex Mowatt and Swedish striker Antonsson, who has scored three goals for Garry Monk’s Championship side this season and grabbed a hat trick in this game.
It took Antonsson just four minutes to open the scoring by shooting home after Mowatt dispossessed Danny Kane and teed up his teammate.
Town keeper Joel Coleman got a hand to the ball but couldn’t divert it off course, but he did make a solid 10th-minute save from Dallas, who shot powerfully from inside the area.
Sam Warde came off the home bench 17 minutes in after Luca Colville took a knock.
Both sides were keen to knock the ball around, with O’Brien busy for Town, but the visitors were creating the better chances, and Eoghan Stokes drilled an effort narrowly over in the 19th minute.
Dallas should have done better with his shot after a strong run and neat delivery from right-back Billy Whitehouse, while Town striker Rekeil Pyke was just off target with an angled shot after good work by O’Brien.
Leeds keeper Marco Silvestri had earlier shepherded a Jacob Hanson header wide, and with Town now holding their own, Jack Boyle came close with a 33rd-minute shot which Silvestri saved.
The Italian was beaten a minute later, however, as Tear produced a composed finish to level the game and reward Town for a bright spell of attacking.
Coleman was alert to a stinging effort by Antonsson as play switched from end to end, with O’Brien coming close for Town with a close-range shot which smacked off the outside of the right-hand post.
O’Brien wasn’t to be denied, and he after intercepting Silvestri’s ball out, he beat the stopper with a low drive in first-half stoppage time to put Town ahead.
The home side made a bright start to the second half, and it took a timely tackle to thwart Warde after good approach play by Pyke, who was then denied by Silvestri at close quarters.
The keeper did well to stop Warde’s piledriver as Town continued to force the pace, and it was a shame they didn’t have a bigger lead to reflect their domination, as Antonsson then curled the ball past Coleman for a 70th-minute equaliser.
Town continued to press and substitute Ronan Coughlan rattled the bar in the 80th minute.
The home side deserved at least a point but were condemned to defeat by Antonsson’s 89th-minute header.
