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In
the F.A. Cup semi-final Leeds went through a classic marathon of a tie
with Manchester United, which saw draws at Hillsborough, and at Villa
Park after extra time, until a Billy Bremner snap shot settled the
issue at Bolton less than 48 hours
before a vital League match with Southampton at Elland Road. A tired
United scored first in that game, but an own goal by Jack Charlton, a
disputed penalty and another own goal from Terry Yorath gave the
Saints both points in freakish fashion, to help in their relegation
fight. After that, the League title was no longer within Leeds
United's reach and in an effort to rest and prepare for the European
Cup semi-final with Glasgow Celtic two days later, a virtual reserve
team was fielded in a First Division match at Derby, an act which
brought United a heavy fine, and to make matters worse Celtic won at
Elland Road by a single goal.
Everything,
it seemed, was now going wrong and despite playing some fine football
against Chelsea in the F.A. Cup final, Leeds struck the woodwork three
times and finished up drawing 2-all after extra time on the most
heavy, energy sapping surface ever seen for a Wembley final. On that
same day, Celtic were losing the Scottish Cup final, but over 90
minutes on a firm pitch and they were fresher and sharper than United
when beating them more convincingly than the 2-1 scoreline suggested
four days later, in the European Cup semi-final second leg before
134,000 fanatical Scots at Hampden Park.
Gary
Sprake was injured in the match with Celtic in Glasgow and he joined
Paul Reaney - who had broken a leg before the Wembley clash with
Chelsea - in missing the F.A. Cup final re-play at Old Trafford, in
what was United's last chance to salvage something from the wreckage
of what had been a season of such high promise. Mick
Jones scored, after a fine run and pass from Allan Clarke, to put
Leeds in front, and it looked as if they were playing well enough to
finish on a high note after all the trauma they had experienced over
the previous few weeks, but in the second half Chelsea equalised and
extra time was again necessary in order to decide which club would
take the famous trophy for the first time in their respective
histories. However, Chelsea had had the easier finish to the season,
with fewer commitments, and it showed in the extra half hour as, for
the first time in either of the two final matches, they looked the
quicker, surer side and United's cup of woe was filled to overflowing
when the Londoners scored again and went on to win the game 2-1.
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THE
VERY FIRST MATCH of the 1970-71 season took Leeds United back to the
scene of disaster, for they returned to Old Trafford to play
Manchester United, but the unhappy memories of the 1970 F.A. Cup final
defeat by Chelsea were erased, when Leeds won that match and went on
to record victories in their opening five League fixtures. Once more,
United had shown their character by bouncing back after suffering
disappointments that would have demoralized most sides, and before the
new season was more than a month old it was clear that Leeds United
were still the team that everyone else would have to beat. Even
the Elland Road team's critics had shrunk in numbers by now, and there
had been a genuine feeling of sympathy shown from all over the country
at what had happened at the end of the previous campaign, during which
United had received some very high praise, both from rivals and the
media alike. After making such a
good start to the new season, it was a surprise therefore, when the
first defeat that Leeds suffered was inflicted by Second Division
Sheffield United, who won with a goal from Tony Currie a League Cup
second round match at Bramall Lane - and in doing so gave themselves a
boost which eventually led them to promotion.
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