3rd round: Wednesday 28 October 1998
Leeds United 1 - 0 Bradford City
(Half-time: 1 - 0)
Crowd: 27561
Referee: U D Rennie (Sheffield)
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Worthington Cup 3rd round: Wednesday 28 October 1998 Leeds United 1 - 0 Bradford City (Half-time: 1 - 0) Crowd: 27561 Referee: U D Rennie (Sheffield) |
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| « Chelsea | Derby County » | |
| Match Facts | ||
| Teams | Unused Subs | |
| Leeds | Robinson, Woodgate, Molenaar, Radebe, Halle, Hopkin, Bowyer, McPhail, Granville, Hasselbaink, Kewell | Haaland, Wetherall, Wijnhard, Harte, Santos |
| Bradford City | Walsh, Todd, Dreyer (Lawrence 83), Moore, Jacobs, Blake, McCall, Whalley, Beagrie, Mills, Rankin (Watson 75) | O'Brien, Pepper, Prudhoe |
| Scorers | Other Info | |
| Leeds | Kewell 28 | |
| Bradford City | ||
| Yellow Cards | Red Cards | |
| Leeds | Bowyer | |
| Bradford City | Beagrie, Dreyer | |
| Match Statistics | ||
| Leeds | Bradford City | |
| Corners won | ? | ? |
| Fouls committed | ? | ? |
| Hit woodwork | ? | ? |
| Offsides committed | ? | ? |
| Shirt numbers of goalscorers | ? | ? |
| Yellow cards | ? | ? |
| Red cards | ? | ? |
| Match Reports | |
| Fans' Reports | |
| Nick Allen | vs Bradford |
| Tim Kennedy | Bradford game was good |
| Newspaper/Newswire/Net Reports | |
| The Electronic Telegraph | Kewell's goal deflects from Leeds' lack of bite |
| The Times | Victory fails to disguise the size of the task facing O'Leary |
| Yorkshire Evening Post | Jewell sunk by Kewell |
| Soccernet | Soccernet match report |
And we'll lose 1-0 in the next round.
Bradford were up for it, snapped away in midfield, never really giving the "superior ball skills" of our lot the chance to shine. We scored against the run of play, with a flukey goal, and seemed content to settle for that. Bradford's threat decreased as the game went on.
To me this looked to be the natural level for several of our team - Bob, Hopkin, Halle, and Granville - all of whom would be good team members at first division level. Bob got left for dead on the edge of the box by Rankin, a very nippy forward, and we were only saved from losing a goal by Robinson being really smart off his line and saving with his legs. Jimmy was unlucky with the follow up to a Bowyer shot which the keeper spilled - when your luck's in these go in, and when its out, the keeper blocks it - but even this rebounded out to Granville at the top corner of the box who instead of blazing it back in, when everyone was all over the shop, he tried to lift it into the top corner. He failed.
Bowyer should have had a penalty - clear cut - especially on the TV replay - the keeper chopped him down as he went through. Instead he got booked for diving.
Lucas was magnificent.
McPhail is growing in stature, and getting more involved, holding the ball up sensibly - how long have we waited for someone who can do that? - and played some lovely through balls.
Biggest disappointment of the night - there were 3 -
1. Our crowd, non-existant and
quiet.
2. Kewell's finishing is laughable.
3. Granville - was taking up great positions, and then wasted it
time and again - trying to beat the same man 2 or 3 times and then
losing the ball, innevitably - or crossing it too deep, behind the
goal, or any other variant on crap.
POINTS.
ROBINSON -8- another assured
performance
WOODGATE -6- a little shakier than previously.
MOLENAAR -6- home at last
RADEBE -8- on cruise control
HALLE -6- unimpressive
BOWYER -7- hard working, unlucky with the penalty
McPHAIL -7- class showing through.
GRANVILLE -5- a definite dip in form
HOPKIN -6- steady
KEWELL -5- poor
JIMMY -5- poor, but no support again.
It was a great atmosphere and a good laugh.
It seems that many of us are being very negative about the team. Lets face it, we aren't in a terminal situation, like Forest are (I was talking to a fan the other day and he has a lot more reason to moan). Graham didn't leave us in anything like great shape, but we have a few players who are absolute class, some young 'uns with promise, and I say get behind the management and give them a proper chance. Leave e.g. Granville alone, he did well IMHO v Bratford and is no way a Couzens.