Quite brief, this one, as I’ve got a ton of work to do. Basically – first half we should have been 4-0 up against 10 men. Shearer’s 4th minute goal was the first of several easy chances we made. Dyer should have had two and Shearer another one. Robinson was incredibly lucky not to be sent off for taking Dyer’s legs out from under him while outside the box – and as last man.
At least the referee was consistantly awful and not in the least biased. Comedy turn of the evening, though, was James Milner. For someone who has been compared to Rooney in a “future of English football” type of way, the kid had all the skill of a duck wearing wellies. Paired up well with Aussie tub of lard Viduka, who kept opening his mouth every time a decision didn’t go his way – seemingly in the hope someone would shove another pie in it. Biggest crying shame was to see David Batty subbed due to a slight injury. May he get well soon!
A certain Mr Gascoigne was guest of honour at half time, and unsurprisingly got a huge round of applause.
Someone lit some kind of fire up Leeds’ backsides during the break, because in the second half they were a much stronger team. Still not strong enough to get the goal they needed. We still had the lion’s share of the possession and clung onto the three points, our closest chance to seal it being a Speed header that whacked off the post/crossbar join.
Despite looking a very poor side in the first half, full credit to the Leeds fans who raised the roof pretty much for the entire 90 minutes of play and stayed right to the bitter end. Not for them the quick sprint off to the car after 75 like the ManUre bunch the other year when we won 4-3 (I mean… how could you leave a match like that before the whistle?!)
Nice to see a decent display by wor lads though. At last.