TILBAKEBLIKK 2:
ACTION REPLAY
COMPILED BY UNITED REPORTER PHIL HAY
PHIL HAY'S MEMORY MATCH
Cardiff City 0
Leeds United 1
DIVISION TWO
Saturday, fEBRUARY 11 1984
AT Ninian Park
UNITED: Harvey, Hird, Hamson, Watson, Brown, Dickinson, Wright, Sellars, Ritchie, Lorimer, Barnes (McCluskey).
Attendance: 9,407
WINNING RETURN: Peter Lorimer on the attack during the 1984 season. The Scot hit the post in the clash with Cardiff at Ninian Park, but team-mate George McCluskey did manage to score to give United a 1-0 victory in South Wales.T here is no logic behind the jinxes that grip certain clubs at different stages.
West Bromwich Albion's victory over Leeds United last month was their first at Elland Road for almost 30 years and United themselves will be no more enamoured by the sight of Ninian Park this weekend.
The respective histories and successes of Leeds and Cardiff City are barely comparable, but United's 1-0 win in South Wales on February 11, 1984 marks the last occasion when they emerged from Ninian Park with maximum points.
Eddie Gray's side completed the double over City during the 83-84 campaign, claiming 1-0 wins at both venues, but their away success was the more impressive of the two – one of only three United triumphs outside Elland Road all season.
Leeds went into the fixture on the back of wins over Fulham and Shrewsbury and a four-match unbeaten run and substitute George McCluskey's eighth goal of the season secured Cardiff's scalp with three minutes remaining at Ninian Park.
As with the United side that will travel to Wales tomorrow, United's previous victory in Cardiff had come more than two decades earlier, but Gray's defence was beginning to find a rich vein of form.
So impressive had centre-backs Tony Brown and Martin Dickinson been in Leeds' 3-0 win over
Shrewsbury that Gray refused the option of recalling Neil Aspin at Ninian Park and even the loss of Peter Barnes to a hamstring strain after only six minutes could not unsettle Leeds.
Barnes' departure heralded the introduction of McCluskey and the move was to work in United's favour, although they withstood sustained pressure from Cardiff during the first half.
David Harvey produced a good save to repel an early effort from Martin Goldsmith and David Tong and Gordon Owen were also denied by close-range blocks from United's goalkeeper.
Kevin Hird was then forced to clear another opportunity off the line, but Leeds were unlucky not to break the deadlock in the 30th minute when Scott Sellars' header rattled the crossbar.
United hit the frame of Cardiff's goal for a second time through Peter Lorimer shortly before half-time and luck seemed to be working against Gray's side.
But an outstanding performance from his defence after the interval restricted Cardiff to a handful of half-chances and McCluskey made the decisive move when an opportunity came his way in the 87th minute.
A corner from Sellars was flicked on by Andy Ritchie and McCluskey turned the ball home from six yards to steal a rare success in South Wales.
