Leeds 2 v Southampton 0

In my unfortunate absence the match reporting baton has been past on to my multi-talented father.....on your marks.....

I could almost taste the sense of excitement and anticipation as I walked down Lowfields Road. It was a good day to be a Yorkie - United full of promise and the news had just come through that the cricket team were only one good win from scooping the County Cricket Championship for the first time since 1968.

1968 …. 1968… 1968…. the memories came flooding back. Earlier that year we'd beaten Arsenal 1-0 to win the League Cup Final and we'd started the 1968/69 season, as now, full of hope. Our first match was, as now, against Southampton. The team that day was Sprake, Reaney, Madeley, Bremner, Charlton, Hunter, Lorimer, Greenhoff, Jones, Giles and Gray and, as we all know, that team plus Cooper, O'Grady, Bates, Belfitt and Hibbitt won the First Division title. "No Clarkie?" you ask. He joined us in the June of 1969. ( I really am a boring old fart - just ask my lad. On the way over to Leeds during our 57.7 mile car journey I had sent my three passengers to sleep by stating that the present squad was the strongest I had seen since those halcyon days. Yes! that includes Sgt. Wilko's lot.)

BUMP! The time machine has just landed and it's back to the present. In the car park we saw a large crowd gathered round one of the players' cars. An Aston Martin? A BMW? A Ferrari? No! No! No! "What then?" you ask. A yellow Reliant Robin - honestly! - a real Del Boy job. It's all part of a mickey-take by the players. Whoever is voted as having the worst training session of the week has to drive to the ground on match days in the Reliant Robin. Hartey was the first winner of the Plonker of the Week Award.

I then noticed John Charles. He should have got the knighthood he so richly deserved instead of the CBE or MBE he was awarded recently John Charles…. John Charles … I saw his first ever game for Leeds … the memories flood back but these will have to wait for another report (if I ever get the chance!)

In the bar before the game with Phil and the lads, 4-0 seemed to be the most popular prediction but nearing half time with the score still at 0-0 things were a bit flat. Even the small band of Southampton supporters sensed this and gave us a few choruses of "When the Saints Go Marching In". The response from the Kop was silence - a bad sign, During half-time there was a lot of head shaking going on and people tried to explain and analyse. I just kept quiet - I had this over-burdening sense of guilt. I knew that Keane, or Kewell, or Viduka should have scored but what chance did they have when there I was, having broken the habit of a lifetime by choosing to wear the latest shirt on the first home match of the season.

We had never really come to grips with the game and Southampton had come for a point, flooded the midfield, hit long balls and Marsden whacked everybody within reach. Leeds played virtually 4-3-3 with Keane, Viduka and Kewell all up front but playing at least thirty or forty yards apart. As a little lad I had two small toy dogs with magnets in and I used to amuse myself when I discovered that placed a certain way the dogs could repel each other. These three players were just like that - it seemed they were physically unable to get close to one another. That's until Smithy came on after 65 minutes. Somebody must have reversed somebody's polarities and Smithy and Viduka were instantly attracted to each other. Smithy's appearance was just like throwing a match into a box of fireworks. The crowd exploded. The whole team exploded. Within two minutes he won a corner and Bowyer banged in Ferdinand's headed cross. - Goal NO. 1.

Just over 10 minutes later he did an extravagant Cruyff-turn to leave Richards for dead and slotted in Goal No. 2. If you weren't at the game then beg, borrow, steal or even kill to get a video of this goal. I won't spoil it for you by trying to describe it - you had to be there. It was one of the best goals I've seen in over 53 years - STOP BLOODY YAWNING!!

However, there were two crucial moments in the second half before Smithy came on that you need to know about. Firstly, just after the second half started Uve Rosler missed a one-on-one with Martyn and secondly after an hour Batty was replaced by Bakke. Batts was not amused and walked straight down the tunnel.. It was a top-class tactical change which, I suspect, was further evidence of the impact Brian Kidd is making on the team. Batty had been doing his usual prompting and supporting role but in such a crowded midfield it did not lead to any forward momentum being established. As soon as he came on Bakke started to run with the ball and the rest, as they say, is history.

I omitted to mention a couple of things. Firstly, that, just after the game started, it absolutely poured down for fifteen minutes and secondly, the stewards are going to lob out anybody who tries to stand up all the time. Anything else? Oh yes. The really naff so-called half-time penalty shoot-out competition has been replaced by "an on-the-pitch interview with a Leeds legend" (Paul Reaney was the first one) followed by first-half highlights on the big screen.

So there you are, some very good signs but ……… Arsenal on Tuesday will be a more accurate indicator and let's hope Yorkshire have an easier task against Glamorgan at Scarborough next week.

SCORES ON THE DOORS

Martyn 8 Pulled off two or three really good saves, particularly the
one on Rosler

Mills 6 Saw a lot of the ball - too much, in fact, because he doesn't
really know what to do with it. Enjoys the Kop's pre-match
chant. But he's not!

Ferdinand 6 Struggled a bit - missed one or two headers and tackles, one
of which almost led to a goal by Rosler

Matteo 8 Did his job very efficiently and Rio owes him a pint

Harte 7 Had little to do but not helped by the fact he never really knew
where Kewell was, particularly in the first half. A long range
shot which crashed against the foot of a post late in the game
deserved a goal

Bowyer 7 Had a very quiet first half but came to life when Smithy came
on. His half-volleyed goal from the edge of the box was not
unlike Terry Cooper's winner at Wembley in the 1969
final.

Dacourt 8 Ran his socks off. Often had two of three players on him but
still found time and space to be very effective. Obviously
enjoys being an international.

Batty 5 It grieves me to do this because I recall one of his first games
in a Leeds shirt as a teenager in a pre-season friendly at Goole
Town and he is still a tremendous player but to-day was not his day.

Bakke 7 Made an immediate impact just by controlling the ball and
running with it towards the Southampton goal. Played a good
ball through to Smithy for his goal.

Keane 6 Huffed and puffed and seemed to be running in the wrong
direction for most of the time. Along with Kewell and Viduka
he missed a good chance in the first half. Seems to need
someone to play off.

Viduka 6 Got very little change out of Richards and started sulking.
Stopped sulking when Smithy came on and got into the game
with some deft touches.

Kewell 7 His fitness level seems to have improved and his confidence
grew during the game. Took some very heavy knocks from
Marsden who was lucky not to have been sent off. Hacked
down, when a goal threatened, by Lundekvam who was then
sent off

Smith 10 He ignited the game, scored a magnificent goal and rattled the
whole of the Southampton back four. Magnificent!

Conclusion:

The team kept plugging away and you felt a goal would come eventually but whether it would without the two astute tactical substitutions we'll never know. Three points - a great start.

Stotty's Dad

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