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Leeds United action replay 1999: Last-gasp Harte puts Whites top
With resilience worthy of proven Premiership champions, Leeds United were making a habit of sailing close to the wind as the 20th century entered its final throes.
At the end of November, a 90th-minute goal from Michael Bridges at home to Southampton helped Leeds cling to the top of their league, and the club pushed their luck even further at Derby County the following weekend.
A tepid match at Pride Park had strayed far into injury-time when Horacio Carbonari swiped rashly at Harry Kewell's legs, felling the Australian inside Derby's box.
County's manager, Jim Smith, argued against the award of a penalty but Ian Harte saw his opportunity and drove a composed shot beyond Mart Poom.
"It was a penalty," said David O'Leary, United's manager. "It's not our fault it was a rash tackle."
Smith claimed that Carbonari had failed to make any contact with Kewell, implying that Kewell had deceived referee Paul Alcock, but O'Leary would himself have had cause for complaint had the match finished goalless.
Seconds before Harte's conversion, Poom had blundered by tossing a throw-out against the legs of Alan Smith, inviting United's striker to hook the ball into an empty net. Smith took the chance but was pulled back by Alcock who harshly ruled that the forward had claimed possession illegally.
Harte's goal soon rendered that controversy redundant and lifted Leeds back to the top of the Premiership, ahead of Manchester United who had routed Everton 5-1 at Old Trafford a day earlier.
O'Leary said: "It's a lovely feeling to go back to the top of the table but it doesn't send any messages out.
"Manchester United and Arsenal are great sides so let's see whether it will be us (who lifts the title). There's a long way to go."
For all his feeling of injustice, Smith – like so many Premiership managers – was entirely complimentary when asked whether Leeds deserved to be in such a strong position at the top of the league.
"They have a very realistic chance," he said, "especially when they're scoring with the last kick of a game. That's never a bad time to score."
United's form backed up his projection. Their win at Pride Park was the club's 15th in 18 games and the players travelled home from Derby for their annual Christmas party at Elland Road with a serious momentum behind them.
Derby created few opportunities and goalkeeper Nigel Martyn dealt with the best that Georgi Kinkladze and Steve Elliott could throw at him. Kewell, meanwhile, brushed the top of the crossbar with Leeds' most promising effort before Harte's penalty.
Ultimately, Carbonari's needless foul was the decisive moment, cueing a clinical set-piece, wild celebrations among the United's players and a tongue-in-cheek joke from a nerveless O'Leary about "lucky Leeds".
United: Martyn, Kelly, Radebe, Woodgate, Harte, Bowyer, Bakke, McPhail (Jones 83), Kewell, Huckerby (Smith 77), Bridges. Subs (not used): Robinson, Mills, Duberry.
Ends
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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