Gais 0 v Leeds 4

Martyn
Mills Rads Dubes Harte
Bakke Batty Ollie Kewell
Viduka Smith

Ended:-
Martyn
Mills Rads Dubes Harte
Burns Cansdell-Sherriff McFrail Wilcox
Viduka Kewell

As Gothenburg giants IFK were already playing at home on this evening
the Gais game was switched to the seaside town of Varberg.

Last season Gais were in the Swedish premier league but have since
slipped to the bottom of the lst. The Swedish leagues start out of synch
with the English ones so having already played half a season most of
their players are fully up to speed. One man in particular - the Gais
goalkeeper - Ned LeBushman - was inspired.

Quite how he managed to reach Smith's powerfully struck shot after
Viduka had mesmerised the Gais defence I don't know.

The 50-or so "home" fans found their voice. "Gais!Gais!Gais!" they
chanted but to our English ears it sounded like they were proudly
declaring their homosexuality.

The Gais fans were perhaps the ugliest I've ever seen. Not a
particularly good advert for inbreeding I feel. I was half expecting
Peter Beardsley to rise from within their masses bedecked in regal
clothing, wearing a crown and a twisted smile.

Gais could have taken a shock lead but their striker froze with the goal
at his mercy. Maybe he caught sight of one of his own fans.

Leeds were soon well in control but their athletic keeper and freak
8-foot defender kept us at bay. A lofted ball saw Smithy clatter into
their keeper who needed about 10 minutes to get his breath and vision
back.

"Well done Al !" beamed David Batty, proud of the youngster's attempt to
maim their best player. If anyone thinks that Leeds took these games
lightly then this incident showed how far from the truth this was.

Smithy and Dacourt went into the book . Batty was trying his best to
join them.

Viduka was in dream form in the 1st half. He displayed his full
repertoire of tricks and flicks and should have had a penalty as he was
bundled to the floor causing a mini-earthquake in China. The ref ignored
the pleas but when Bakke was flattened he simply had to point to the
spot.

Harte didn't give the keeper a sniff and Leeds took a belated lead.

As expected Kewell led their defence a merry dance. Every time he picked
up the ball he ghosted past 3 men. Our finishing left something to be
desired though as Bakke and Smith wasted clear chances.

For all our good work down the left we looked pitiful down the right.
Bakke was sucked into the middle where Batts and Ollie already had it
sewn up. We had no width on the right and Smith and Viduka were drawn in
to try and fill this void. The balance was all wrong.

We didn't look like a particularly good side and the locals knew it.

Out of the blue and on the stroke of half time Dacourt took a quick free
kick and before anyone blinked the ball was in the net.

2-0, two set pieces. We barely deserved it.

The injured Bowyer, Ferdinand, Matteo & Kelly sat glumly on the bench.
To relieve the tedium they messed about with a tennis ball. O'Leary
marched over and told them to behave themselves or he'd make them share
a room with Millsey. They behaved.

The second half was a succession of more missed chances - Viduka headed
tamely at an open goal, Kewell overran when 1-on-1, Burns fired over,
Keane pussyfooted and supersub Cansdell-Sherriff, revelling in a centre-
midfield role, muffed a chance to cap a splendid tour for the young
star.

As Gais tired the inevitable gaps appeared and Viduka beautifully wrong-
footed his giant marker and in the same movement blazed the ball home.

So not to spoil his previous hard work the Gais keeper substituted
himself, perhaps still shaken up by Smiffy's stray elbow.

His replacement watched in awe as Harte curled a wicked free kick into
the corner. To be sure.

As the sun dropped the match and the tour came to a timely end with the
sky lit up in resplendent glory.

Compared to last season's Swedish jaunt it is amazing how much better
our depth of squad is. We can now field 2 sides which are both competitive.

Leeds won many friends on this tour but there is a nagging doubt that
even with our very powerful squad we wont be winning any silverware this
season.

I hope I'm wrong.

Scores
--------
Martyn - 7 - More to do and safe hands.
Mills 7.5 - full of beans.
Rads 8 - great determination and strength
Dubes - 7 - did OK.
Harte - 8 - 2 goals
Bakke - 6 - Not sure where he was playing.
Ollie - 8 - Another fully committed display.
Batty- 7 - Kicked anything and everything
Kewell-8.5- Hope this form continues.
Viduka - 7.5 - Nice goal but looses interest too easily.
Smith -7- Did a job on the keeper. Quality.
Subs/
Special mentions to-
Cansdell-Sherriff(7/10) can play anywhere this lad.
Burns(7) defied all critics and managed to control the ball and pass it
a couple of times.

Man of the Match - Harry Kewell, who else ?

Man of the Tour - Raffe, our Swedish host. Cheers :-)

Thank christ the tour is over so I dont have to keep trying to spell Shane Cansdell-Sherriff correctly.

--
stotty

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