Maybe, just maybe. Manchester City could yet pull off their own version of the
Great Escape after they somehow hung on against West Ham to claim a priceless
win.
After going virtually the entire season without any good fortune, Lady Luck
finally smiled on City at Maine Road.
City got the rub of the green at both ends when it mattered most to emerge
with only their fourth Premiership home win of the season.
Their biggest break came in stoppage time when West Ham substitute Svetoslav
Todorov missed an open goal from just a few yards out.
That just about summed up the match as City rode their luck on several
occasions.
Their goal was somewhat fortuitous and Shaun Goater's shot in the 21st minute
took a crucial deflection off Ian Pearce.
To be fair, City defended well and City goalkeeper Carlo Nash twice made
telling saves and twice City cleared West Ham efforts off the line.
'Our D-day' was how City manager Joe Royle had summed up this match and how
right he was.
Defeat would have condemned City to Nationwide League football after just one
season back in the top flight, while a draw would have placed their fate in the
hands of others.
City's abysmal home record is the prime reason why they are in the mess they
are and going into this game they had managed just three wins all season - the
last of which was back on December 9.
Fortunately they were up against a West Ham which has been sucked into the
fringes of the relegation scrap following a terrible run.
Harry Redknapp's side had managed just four points from their last nine
matches and were also in need of a win.
After Nash turned Michael Carrick's well-struck 25-yard drive around the post,
City took control.
They increased the pressure on the Hammers' goal and Steve Howey just failed
to connect with Danny Tiatto's deep free-kick after he had stolen into the box.
Kabe Diawara then found Paolo di Canio in acres of space on the edge of the
area only for Richard Dunne to cover across and make a great tackle.
That challenge became all the more important when City scored after 21
minutes.
Alfie Haaland crossed to Goater in the middle, the Bermudan international
connected with a right-foot shot which took a telling deflection home off Ian
Pearce's leg.
The goal was somewhat fortunate, but no-one could deny City this rub of the
green after all the bad luck they have had to endure in recent weeks.
It was all City now and the Blues pinned West Ham down in their own half.
Goater and Paul Dickov shot wide before Jeff Whitley just failed to get on the
end of a rebound after Hislop saved a Dickov drive.
Hislop denied City a second goal on the stroke of half-time when he touched
over Danny Granville's bullet header from Tiatto's corner.
City maintained the pressure after half-time and West Ham were happy to hack
Mark Kennedy's cross away following a great run by the Irishman.
City went agonisingly close to a second goal when Hislop pushed away Haaland's
close-range effort following a goal-mouth melee from a corner.
The hearts of every City fan packed into Maine Road then missed a collective
beat twice in the space of one minute when West Ham threatened to equalise.
First substitute Todorov outpaced Dunne and raced clear only for Nash to save
his shot with his trailing left boot.
From the corner, Igor Stimac's header was cleared off the line by Tiatto, who
was guarding the near post.
City continued to live dangerously and Diawara directed a shot just wide.
West Ham sensed an equaliser and kept up the pressure on the City goal.
But Nash was in no mood to be beaten and he made a great save to keep out a
point-blank volley from Todorov.
City's defending was becoming more desperate by the minute and Nash jumped to
his feet after being knocked over by one of his own players to make a block
before Granville headed Ian Pearce's shot from the rebound off the line.
Still the ball would not go in for West Ham and when they finally thought they
had made the breakthrough in the 78th minute the effort was disallowed for
pushing.
Tempers were beginning to fray and Carrick was lucky to escape with just a
yellow card for pushing over Tiatto.
Then came Todorov's miss after Nash had saved di Canio's shot and the final
whistle was greeted by the loudest cheer of the season at Maine Road.
Teams
Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte,
Bowyer (Bakke 75), Dacourt, Batty, Kewell (Keane 81), Viduka,
Smith.
Subs Not Used: Kelly, Robinson, Wilcox.
Booked: Dacourt, Bakke.
Goals: Keane 86, Viduka 88.
Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Desailly, Terry, Babayaro, Wise,
Dalla Bona, Morris (Poyet 64), Le Saux (Gudjohnsen 88),
Hasselbaink, Zola (Gronkjaer 77).
Subs Not Used: de Goey, Jokanovic.
Booked: Morris, Babayaro, Dalla Bona, Hasselbaink, Desailly.
Att: 39,253
Ref: S Dunn (Bristol).
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