FA Carling Premiership
Game 22: Saturday 16 January 1999
Leeds United 2 - 0 Middlesbrough
(Half-time: 2 - 0)
Crowd: 37473
Referee: S J Lodge (Barnsley)
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FA Carling Premiership Leeds United 2 - 0 Middlesbrough(Half-time: 2 - 0) |
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| Match Facts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Teams | Unused Subs | |
| Leeds | Martyn, Harte, Wetherall, Radebe, Hopkin, Bowyer, McPhail (Haaland 77), Granville, Kewell, Smith (Korsten 84), Hasselbaink | Ribeiro, Halle, Robinson |
| Middlesbrough | Schwarzer, Vickers, Festa, Pallister, Fleming, Maddison (Beck 63), Gascoigne (Cooper 63), Mustoe, Gordon, Deane, Ricard | Stamp, Summerbell, Beresford |
| Scorers | Other Info | |
| Leeds | Smith 21, Bowyer 27 | |
| Middlesbrough | ||
| Yellow Cards | Red Cards | |
| Leeds | Harte | |
| Middlesbrough | Fleming, Ricard, Pallister | |
| Match Statistics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Leeds | Middlesbrough | |
| Corners won | ? | ? |
| Fouls committed | ? | ? |
| Hit woodwork | ? | ? |
| Offsides committed | ? | ? |
| Shirt numbers of goalscorers | 39, 11 | 0 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 3 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
| Match Reports | |
|---|---|
| Fans' Reports | |
| Nick Allen | vs Middlesbrough |
| Newspaper/Newswire/Net Reports | |
| The Observer | Smith's coming of age |
| The Guardian | Likely lads up to speed |
| The Electronic Telegraph | Smith leads young lions |
| The Times | Leeds compose lasting image |
| The Sunday Times | Bowyer keeps Leeds on song |
| Express Sport | Leeds demolish Gazza's hopes |
| The Independent on Sunday | Sizzling Smith leaves Boro breathless |
| The Independent | Leeds run around old bangers |
| Yorkshire Evening Post | White-hot Lee is on fire |
| Soccernet | Soccernet match report |
| Carlingnet | Carlingnet match report |
In the first half we played as well as I've seen us play all season. To think that boro are supposed to be fellow European place challengers, we outclassed them comprehensively. It was no exaggeration (for once) for folk to claim we could/should have been 5 or 6 up at half time. As well as all the usual edge of the box shots, and headers from crosses that sometimes go in, and sometimes don't, we had a shot from Jimmy that hit the bar, after a good run down the left, and a cut inside two defenders, Harry bent one just wide of the left hand post, from 12 yards, after a great touch from Jimmy, and little Smudger took a low cross from Jimmy on the right, stopped it on the six yard box spun the defender and curled a shot with his left all in one movement, the shot skimmed the outside of the left hand post.
Boro were left looking like a bunch of plodding, puffing old men - Hoddle was reportedly there to watch Gazza, well if anyone can consider him a better bet for England than Bowyer after this display, then that person could only be Gazza's mum. Lee made the fat geordie bastard so insignificant that Robson took him off after 60mins. Pallister was being murdered by the running of Smith, Harry and Jimmy. Festa is just crap anyway. Meanwhile at the back Lucas reigned supreme, as is his god given right. Despite the fact that Ricard is a nasty piece of work - right up there with Shearer, Hughes, and one Alan Smith. Deano, came and ran around a lot, bless him.
Goals:
1 - Another one of any number of balls down the left for Jimmy to run onto, he cuts into the left and shoots - now in truth he should have squared it, he had 2 defenders in front of him, and Smith and (Bowyer?) alongside - but the shot is stopped by a defender, it bobbles around, they lose it, Jimmy dives in and the ball breaks to Smith who hammered it home low and hard first time.
2 - long punt from the back, Smith brings down on his chest about 40 yards out, plays the ball through initially for the charging Jimmy it looks like, but Bowyer coming round the outside gets there first and he leathers it into the bottom corner, across the keeper, from 18 yards out.
The second half was a lot closer, they even had a few shots. Their main threat was Gordon being allowed to run from left back, which was eventually stopped by the introduction of Alfie to right side midfield. Jimmy had more shots that shaved the post, and one where he was one-on-one with the keeper, where the keeper just flexed his knee out to deflect it round the post.
POINTS
MARTYN -7- not a lot to do.
WETHERALL -7- very solid, against Deane.
RADEBE -9- bloody majestic.
HARTE -7- coping OK on his "wrong side".
GRANVILLE -6- not much better than Wed.
HOPKIN -7- some improvement
BOWYER -9- MOTM easily.
McPHAIL - 7- linked much of the play quietly but effectively
KEWELL -8- caused no end of trouble, but needs shooting
practice
SMITH -8- little bundle of dynamite.
HASSELBAINK -8- only needed a goal to cap a great team
performance.
Good noisy crowd too.
But a bloody awful ref.
Copy from Football Unlimited of 17/01/1999.
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Alan Smith - a common name, an uncommon talent - demonstrated why he represents the future of English football, rather than the fading genius of Paul Gascoigne.
Gascoigne, who now admits to dramatic mood swings, had one of his down days as he was outclassed by Lee Bowyer before being put out of his misery after 18 minutes of the second half.
Copy from Football Unlimited of 17/01/1999.
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What is the difference between battle-hardened veterans and old men? The answer in football is winning. On Saturday at Elland Road Bryan Robson's Middlesbrough were rapidly transformed from a team packed with wise heads to one full of ageing legs by a swift, neat and versatile Leeds.
Such was the snap and pace of David O'Leary's young team that the Teessiders seemed dizzy right from the kick-off. Up front Leeds switched positions with frequency and purpose; in midfield they were first to every ball. Lee Bowyer was particularly impressive, snuffing out the threat of Paul Gascoigne one second, linking up with attack the next.
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