By Stuart Kidson
January 19 2003

Albion battled for a point today at Elland Road despite having Andy Johnson sent off for allegedly swearing at Sheffield referee, Uriah Rennie following the officials failure to award a clear penalty to the Baggies, after Lucas Radebe had clearly handled the ball in the Leeds area. Leeds United v West Bromwich Albion
Saturday 18th January 2003



Albion battled for a point today at Elland Road despite having Andy Johnson sent off for allegedly swearing at Sheffield referee, Uriah Rennie following the officials failure to award a clear penalty to the Baggies, after Lucas Radebe had clearly handled the ball in the Leeds area.



Sean Gregan returned following his one match suspension along with Derek McInnes who has now recovered from his dislocated shoulder picked up in training during the build up to the Christmas fixtures. Larus Sigurdsson and Ronnie Wallwork were dropped to the bench to make room for the returnees, and Adam Chambers lost out to new boy Nigerian World Cup star Ifeyani Udeze. With Jason Roberts suspended following his fifth yellow card of the season, Scott Dobie started alongside Danny Dichio.



A nervous start by Albion almost saw the rejuvenated Leeds take a third minute lead, after Neil Clement fouled Alan Smith out on the wing, and Gary Kelly’s free-kick found an unmarked Dominic Matteo who scuffed his shot across the face of the Baggies goal.



Sean Gregan’s half clearance fell to Harry Kewell who set up Norwegian Erik Bakke on 12 yards but his wayward shot went wide. It looked as if the Baggies were going to be on the back foot all afternoon with Aussies Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka combining well to set up Viduka for a shot on goal. Russell Hoult parried the shot and Neil Clement cleared the ball from danger.



Confusion between Phil Gilchrist and Russell Hoult almost handed a goal to Kewell again, but it suddenly clicked for the Baggies and they settled into the game. Twice in the space of two minutes they threatened the Leeds goal.



A free-kick following a Lucas Radebe foul on Dichio was sent screaming into a melee of players by Clement and Darren Moore managed to toe poke the ball into the path of Scott Dobie whose grass cutter shot took the first layer of paint off the upright. Albion’s second chance came when Dobie again broke through the Leeds defence and his 20-yard shot went wide.



Kewell again made himself available for Leeds and he skipped around Darren Moore only to find Neil Clement on hand to deny him. Jason Koumas found space for himself and delivered a superb cross that Derek McInnes was unlucky not to meet and Dominic Matteo cleared for Leeds.



Igor Balis made a stray pass from defence and the Aussie duo were again off and running towards the Baggies goal. Viduka hit a low shot towards Hoult’s left hand corner but the shot stopper was equal to the effort and palmed the ball round the post. Poor passing, Opta stats show that the Baggies give the ball away, on average, once in every three passes, was again to cause concern on the Albion bench. Darren Moore failed to get any distance on a headed clearance and the ball fell for Rothwell born Alan Smith whose 25 yard shot seemed to be looping for the bottom right hand corner. Out of nowhere came Russell Hoult who at full stretch somehow managed to tip the ball round the upright. The 4,000 plus travelling fans erupted into the now familiar chorus of ‘England’s Number 1’, which even bought a smile to the face of Leeds keeper Paul Robinson and a round of applause from the Leeds Kop.



Ronnie Wallwork replaced Igor Balis after 35 minutes, with the Slovakian limping off towards the tunnel and the former Man Utd midfielder made an immediate impact on the game. Andy Johnson fed the ball out to the right for Wallwork to send over a low cross behind the Leeds defence. Robinson was left alone on his goal line as Dichio and Dobie lunged at the ball. Dichio missed his attempt and Dobie was unlucky to see his sliding effort go the wrong side of the upright again.



Ronnie Wallwork was again provider in the 41st minute when Dichio met his cross but his downwards header found no one in support.



Andy Johnson caused a few concerns with his ‘studs showing’ challenge on Smith, but the resulting free-kick was wasted by Leeds who opted to square the ball for Kewell to shoot into the Albion wall.



Albion came out for the second half a much more determined side than the one that started the game, but despite the optimism they still lacked the killer edge in front of goal. Neil Clement saw his long range effort go wide in the 52nd minute, but the Baggies pushed more and more into the Leeds half.



A Jason Koumas corner was dealt with by Leeds and saw the home side take control of the game, piling more pressure on the Baggies goal. The two Albion forwards became lone figures on the halfway line as Leeds pushed the Baggies midfield deep. ‘The Ginger Ninja’ replaced Scott Dobie, who had worked tirelessly up front, on 63 minutes as the Baggies went looking for someway around the Leeds defence.



Leeds made two substitutions in the 70th minute and bought on Seth Johnson for Erik Bakke and teen sensation James Milner for Jason Wilcox.



Andy Johnson picked up his first yellow card of the day for a foul on Alan Smith a minute later when he tripped the Leeds forward on the touchline after shadowing him from the middle of the park. It was Johnson’s first foul and Uriah Rennie went straight to his book despite allowing Viduka to get away with worse all through the second half.



Uriah Rennie again proved inconsistent in the 74th minute when Lucas Radebe handled the ball inside the Leeds area following a challenge from Lee Hughes. Rennie decided that Hughsie had pushed Radebe and awarded the kick to the home side. Infuriated Albion players surrounded the official. It was at this point that Rennie produced a red card for Johnson, alleging that the Welsh midfielder had swore at him. A claim denied by Johnson.



Gary Megson now made a tactical change and bought on Larus Sigurdsson for Jason Koumas and pushed Ronnie Wallwork into the now vacant midfield slot as the Baggies attempted to deal with the blow of losing Johnson. Terry Venables went for the win by bringing on Robbie Fowler who entered the game to the loudest cheer of the day from the Leeds faithful sending a clear message to Peter Ridsdale that they want Fowler to stay.



Alan Smith should have received a red card for a two footed challenge on Danny Dichio, but the referee’s inconsistency allowed Smith to stay on the field.



Ronnie Wallwork found himself with a clear view of goal in the dying minutes of the game and hit a screamer from outside the area which looked to be heading for the back of the net but Robinson some how managed to help the ball over the crossbar.



All in all apart from a shaky start by the Baggies the spirit and determination of the team meant that they were never in any danger of being dominated by Leeds and were unlucky not to have come away from Elland Road with all three points. Leeds were by no means the better team and can consider themselves extremely lucky to have held onto a draw.



Man-of-the-Match selected by lifelong Albion fan, but now resident of Rothwell, near Leeds, Mr. Paul Griffiths



Russell Hoult



Team

Russell Hoult, Phil Gilchrist, Darren Moore, Sean Gregan, Igor Balis ( 35 ), Jason Koumas ( 75 ), Derek McInnes ( Capt. ), Andy Johnson, Neil Clement, Scott Dobie ( 63 ), Danny Dichio



Subs

Joe Murphy, Ronnie Wallwork ( 35 ), Larus Sigurdsson ( 75 ), Lee Hughes ( 63 ), Ifeyani Udeze