Worthington Cup Round 2. First Leg.(Away)

14.9.99.

City 3   Crystal Palace 3.

Pure Leicester City

By Peter Gilbert 14.9.99

So here we are then; the laughing stock of the Premiership thanks to the bunch of backstage nurds who's vocation in life is to bleed us dry.   So do we retaliate, do we falter?    No we drive down to London, taking time off work spending our hard earned cash for a glimpse of our beloved boys in blue.
You see we are pure Leicester City fans.    Fans which is an abbreviation of fanatic which is something of a mental aberration, a condition, a state of mind, maybe even a term of derision.
Whatever we are we are Leicester City through and through and for all the adverse publicity we have suffered over the last few weeks we are lining up against Crystal Palace in Round 2 of The League Cup first leg.

We are obviously not a particularly attractive proposition as there are only about 5,000 in the crowd and we are fielding a slightly weakened side whilst some of our regulars are 'rested'.
There's only Martin O'Neill, his assistants, the players and the supporters left now, so who else is there?    Who needs a bunch of blood sucking directors anyway.

After 17 mins, we had a corner, Elliott shot and the ball went into the net via the 'keepers legs. Hip hooray.     Taggart replaced Elliott, who went off to discuss terms with an un-named agent and almost immediately Palace broke free in the area in the shape of Clinton Morris and we were suddenly drawing 1-1.

The back three consisted of Taggart,Gilchrist and Sinclair which along with Arphexad in goal gave us a quite experimental look a the back.Sadly the experiment began to look as if it was going to be 'back to the drawing board.'
Zagorakis started a match for the first time this season and he seemed eager to please, chasing back,  then tackling , then shooting from distance.

City were as a unit finding it difficult to get any sort of cohesion to their attacks.We began to look directionless and the team drifted like marooned sailors through quite prolonged passages of time. The goal they had scored was scrappy and the one they conceded was elementary, one thing is for sure we are absolutely no threat at all from free kicks - once upon a time we were labelled as only being able to score from set pieces.

Then a little bit of Marshall/Lennon magic carved Palace open and the ginger Irishman finished with great aplomb to notch up his first goal of the season with great skill.    He enjoyed it and wheeled away to salute the few hundred 'fanatics' who had journeyed down the dark tunnel to view the spectacle. A great goal actually.

At half time we counted our money.   It didn't amount to much so we would be helpless onlookers if the plug really was pulled on our treasured team.

Arphexad had injured his thigh and so Tim Flowers came on in the second half; presumably the directors wanted all our major assets on display before they stripped them bare.
Heskey went off to be sold at auction in the car park and Taggart popped up moments later to make me eat my words. We scored from a set piece, Guppy took the free kick and the other Irishman nodded it home.   Fenton had come on as an Emile replacement which gave the whole evening a genuine 'reserve' game atmosphere.
Whatever the occasion the enthusiasm of Lennon,Savage and Izzett shone through.
Bradbury broke free and went for a 50/50 ball with Flowers and once again our number 1 keeper lay prostrate on the floor after a nasty ,but accidental, knock on the head.  This could be awkward, as we'd used our substitute 'keeper, frantic gestures and messages were conveyed to the bench and Flowers had to be helped from the pitch.   Unbelievably Theo Zagorakis donned the 'keepers kit and went between the sticks as the club doctor looked after a dazed Flowers. We'd used all three subs and so we were down to 10 men, having used all our subs. We might need this 3-1 lead with at least 25 mins. to play.
Zag looked a bit on the short side but he gathered an oncoming ball safely. Then a corner flew across which Zag punched clear and City nearly scored on the break as Fenton, Lennon and Izzett swept forward.

A disastrous day off the field went from bad to worse with this string of injuries which was compounded by another Palace goal scored from a free kick as Zag was still trying to organise his wall.
Guppy set up Fenton but his good run off the ball was not converted when it looked like an easy chance.
Almost immediately a cross from Palace came over, the defence didn't respond ( don't blame Zag) and we were pegged back level again with a bullet header.

Was it farce? Was it drama? Was it comedy? Were we laughing? It was rather like a mystery play.
Zag collected a high ball well and then showed his natural goalkeeping ability by totally mis-kicking his clearance.
Palace began shooting from any distance as they smelt the blood of a wounded fox which was spilt on the pitch and on the stock market.
Lennon, now the captain, drove his troops forward and lead by example with his Herculean efforts in the face of a Palace charge.
Fenton was now despatched as the lone striker with Marshall dropping back to add to our defence. In fact Martin O'Neill rollocked Fenton for committing himself too far forward, such was the desperation of the cause.
Another corner, Marshall dived forward to head away justifying his contract to the end of the season.  I hope he doesn't get lonely.
Fenton, Lennon and Savage broke forward and nearly scored as 5 mins. added on time was held up on the board, unlucky.
Taggart headed away, Palace shoot back but the ball flies wide. We deserve at least a draw!
The time passes slowly. Muzzy scrambles it away Sinclair hoofs it into row Z, it's all hands to the pump.   Taggart,then Marshall and finally Gilchrist hack the ball clear defending Theo's goal.
At last the final whistle blows and we at least end up on level terms with a sadly long injury list.
Martin, came across to thank us for being here. Lee Bradbury seemed to speak to him apologetically possibly about the injury to Tim Flowers, it seemed amicable.

So it's out of the frying pan on the pitch into the fire off it. Good job we've only got Liverpool on Saturday!