Premier League
| Charlton Athletic 1 | |
|---|---|
| Leeds United 1 |
- guardian.co.uk, Saturday 17 April 1999 19.30 BST
This was not the first time the Valley cleaners had to sweep up a mountain of fingernails, nor will it be the last. At this points-or-bust stage of the season, Alan Curbishley's analysis of the run-in left him at a loss about which games were tough and which offered a smoother ride. "I just know we have to win some games," he concluded.
They should have won one yesterday. Missed penalties and red cards seem to be a feature in important games at the moment. His team were afflicted by both, and had to settle for a draw.
Aware his team had been lacking in bite, the Charlton manager called upon his team to strike the balance between aggression and adventure, courage and cunning. It took them a while to find that heady mix, and when it came it arrived from an unexpected source. From a Leeds corner, Graham Stuart took off, before releasing Richard Rufus for a jaunt up the right flank.
With Martin Pringle baying for a pass, Rufus instead chose to follow his instincts, pinging an audacious chip towards the top corner of the net. Nigel Martyn had to back-pedal hurriedly - and painfully - into his own post to be sure as the ball just looped over the bar.
As if to confirm this was a bit special coming from Rufus, it sparked an electric charge humming round the Valley. Charlton surged forward. Mark Kinsella, Chris Powell and the busy, bustling Andy Hunt combined to thread the ball to Stuart, whose cushioned, mid-twist volley produced a delightful goal.
Their joy was short-lived, though. Less than five minutes later, Ian Harte's drilled free-kick was met by Jonathan Woodgate. The 19-year-old, with Hunt breathing down his neck, squeezed the ball all of an inch inside the post, leaving third choice goalkeeper Petterson helpless.
The architects of Leeds's equaliser can consider themselves unfortunate to be excluded from the PFA Young Player Of The Year Award alongside Harry Kewell, Alan Smith and Lee Bowyer, none of whom were quite themselves yesterday. Missing the lively presence of Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink, forced to withdraw with a knock on the half-hour, they lacked their normal attacking cohesion. A missed opportunity? Perhaps. Kevin Keegan may struggle to pull in the usual suspects for the much-maligned friendly in Hungary when he names his squad next week, and he could do worse than call upon a couple of the blossoming English talents at Elland Road.
The visitors, without over-exerting themselves, briefly took the heat out of Charlton, with enough combative spirit to frustrate their increasingly desperate opponents.
To the Addicks' credit, they battled on. When Paul Mortimer caught glimpse of the whites of the goalposts he blazed up, up and away. Danny Mills's enticing centre flashed across the face of goal but no red shirt could connect. After the groans had subsided nerves began creeping in, blood pressure rising. How agonising when Mills then thumped a ferocious low drive which Martyn's reflex action diverted.
Ten minutes after the interval hope glimmered when Woodgate felled Pringle in the penalty area, leaving referee Alan Wilkie with little option but to point to the spot. Mortimer sent Martyn the wrong way, only to droop, head in hands, as the ball bounced against the upright.
Charlton's plight was dealt a hammer blow when Rufus was dismissed for clattering Leeds substitute Matthew Jones, who rolled around clutching his head, with 25 minutes left. The decision looked harsh, and with it the simmering heat rose several notches. And still they raided, never closer than when Kinsella's free-kick inspired a superb fingertip save from Martyn.
Normal service was almost resumed for Leeds after last week's draw with Liverpool ended that record-breaking sequence of wins - only a last-gasp smother from Petterson prevented Kewell from snatching the points in the last minute. That would have been heartbreaking for Charton, whose bid to stay afloat in the big pond remains in their own hands.
As Curbishley has always maintained, it looks like they must keep going till the final gulp of air on the nerve-jangling final day.
