.CITY 1 LEEDS UNITED 1
Canon League 2nd Division
2nd January 1984
attendance 34,441
Scorers
City Tolmie(56 pen)
Leeds Bond(32 og)
Ref Vic Callow
City Williams, Lomax, May, Bond, Power, McCarthy, McNab, Baker, Parlane, Dalziel, Tolmie – sub Ranson(unused)
Leeds Harvey, McGoldrick, F Gray, Harrison, Aspin, Dickinson, Wright, McCluskey, Ritchie, Donnelly, Sellars – sub Lorimer(54)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
SIMON INGLIS WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 3RD JANUARY 1984
A brilliant defensive performance by Leeds, reminiscent of more illustrious days, held Manchester City at bay at Maine Road yesterday, and once again raised doubts about the home tearn’s credentials as serious First Division material.
This was the dark side of City, unstructured, often inaccurate, and with too many weak links to take advantage of their brighter sparks, Tolmie and Baker who worked hard behind the forwards.
City were repeatedly unable to find their men with long balls to the flanks or to match Leeds‘ studied application in midfield.
Few teams, however, would have beaten David Harvey yesterday. The 35-year»old ex-Scottish international made half a dozen breathtaking saves, one a single-handed dive at full stretch from Dalziel‘s header, another a catch as he fell backwards on to the line to collect Tolmie’s deflected shot under pressure.
The Leeds captain also gained from his defence’s solid cover outside the box. where McGoldrick, one of City manager Billy McNeill’s youths at Celtic, was putstanding for his tackling. With 37-year-old Peter Lorimer coming on for the last pulsating half hour, there were some memory-jerking moments as Leeds played smooth and fast possession football, which although producing few chances, made the visitors the more impressive of the two sides in their build-up.
Their goal came courtesy of City’s lack of pace on the flanks, when the promising Wright sent a hard and low cross into the box where Bond sliced the ball into his own net.
Although City recovered well and maintains their pressure. they needed a penalty to beat Harvey. won hy Parlane and
converted by Tolmie in the 57th minute.
From then on Harvey stole the show as City peppered his goal with long shots, corners and crosses. But Leeds did not capitulate despite injuries to both their fullbacks, and ultimately fully deserved their point.
Disappointing though the reult was to City, who started the holiday period with such style, they can at least take consolation from the fact that they will surely not face a more brilliant goalkeeping display for the rest of the season.