Leeds produced an electrifying performance to stun Middlesbrough as livewire
teenager Alan Smith again lit up Elland Road.
After 82 minutes of attacking energy, it came as no surprise when the 37,000
crowd rose to their feet upon his substitution to acclaim a new-found hero with
such a promising future ahead of him.
Smith was the lynchpin, his confidence in full flow after his double in
midweek had sent non-League Rushden and Diamonds out of the FA Cup.
The comparisons between Smith and Liverpool star Michael Owen are certain to
follow if he continues to flourish as the Anfield ace did during his maturing
spell with the Reds.
The 18-year-old local youngster was at the heart of virtually everything,
beautifully finishing the first and even more artistically creating the second
for Lee Bowyer.
It all came during a first-half which was breathtaking from Leeds, full of
flair, verve and panache as Middlesbrough were left chasing shadows.
The goals were just rewards for United, who were out of the traps from the
first whistle, showing no signs of their midweek exertions in beating brave
Diamonds 3-1.
The first could have been in the net after just 75 seconds as only a block
from Curtis Fleming prevented Stephen McPhail from scoring following a fast,
sweeping move between David Hopkin, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Bowyer and Smith.
Hasselbaink stung the fingers of keeper Mark Schwarzer with two fizzing shots
in the following moments, before the Dutchman set up Smith for what should have
been the opener in the 16th minute.
The teenager, with a growing maturity beyond his years, produced a stunning
dragback to deceive Steve Vickers and with the goal gaping from six yards he
curled a left foot chance wide.
Hopkin then lifted a delightful attempted chip over Schwarzer onto the roof of
the net before United rightfully took the lead in the 21st minute.
Another Hasselbaink run culminated in a shot blocked by Vickers, while a prone
Gary Pallister could only kick the ball into the path of Smith who fired home
first time from 15 yards for his fifth of the season.
Five minutes later it was 2-0 when Smith gracefully took a pass on his chest
before a quick look and incisive ball picked out Bowyer for another first time
shot, this time right-footed and from the edge of the area for his seventh of
the campaign.
Leeds were looking irresistible on the attack and it was nearly three in the
38th minute when Ian Harte's through ball was deftly laid off by Hasselbaink for
Harry Kewell, whose left foot 15-yard curler beat Schwarzer, but was a fraction
wide of the right-hand post.
Hasselbaink, itching to get on the scoresheet, looked odds-on for his 13th of
the season in 41st minute after cutting inside Fleming in the Boro area, but his
finish hit the crossbar as Boro breathed a sigh of relief.
A third would have left Boro dead-and-buried, but they were still very much
alive as the second period proved, with keeper Nigel Martyn the more active.
Martyn had pulled down a smart Brian Deane header early on, the sum total of
his efforts in the opening 45 minutes during which Schwarzer had been peppered.
A sprawling save from Dean Gordon was soon followed by a 25-yard shot which
clipped the top of the crossbar from Deane, the former United striker having
been made skipper in the absence of the injured Andy Townsend.
Martyn again saved well following a Gordon free-kick, while a rare foray
forward from Gary Pallister resulted in an 18-yard drive just past the
right-hand post.
In between those two chances, Neil Maddison and an ineffective Paul Gascoigne
were taken off as boss Bryan Robson looked for the goal which would set up a
grandstand finale.
But it was Leeds who should have ended the game in style and but for rare
wayward finishing from Hasselbaink, he could have had a hat-trick late on.
Smith's eventual departure allowed Willem Korsten, on loan from Vitesse Arnhem
until the end of the season, to make his debut.
The applause was richly deserved, and again at the final whistle as manager
David O'Leary's young braves continue to fly high in the Premiership, while Boro
now start to ponder an extended spell in mid-table.
Teams
Leeds: Martyn, Harte, Wetherall, Radebe, Hopkin, Bowyer,
McPhail (Haaland 77), Granville, Kewell, Smith (Korsten 82),
Hasselbaink.
Subs Not Used: Ribeiro, Halle, Robinson.
Booked: Harte.
Goals: Smith 21, Bowyer 27.
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Vickers, Festa, Pallister, Fleming,
Maddison (Beck 63), Gascoigne (Cooper 63), Mustoe, Gordon, Deane,
Ricard.
Subs Not Used: Stamp, Summerbell, Beresford.
Booked: Fleming, Ricard, Pallister.
Att: 37,473
Ref: S Lodge (Barnsley).
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