Leeds at sea as Vale continue odyssey

Leeds United 0 Port Vale 0

Port Vale's FA Cup odyssey continues. Making a mockery of their position in the First Division's relegation zone, John Rudge's team last night took a desperately disappointing Leeds United to a fifth-round replay at Burslem next Wednesday.

Leeds, who are expected to reach Wembley in the Coca-Cola Cup on Sunday, produced nothing to worry the watching Birmingham representatives and were booed off at the end. The reaction would have been worse still but for a fine save by John Lukic which denied Tony Naylor with eight minutes left.

Despite the late withdrawal of their principle striker Martin Foyle, Vale's display showed a confidence befitting a team who only a week earlier had disposed of Everton. The wing power which undermined the holders was evident as early as the 11th minute, when Jon McCarthy left Tony Dorigo on his backside. A low cross picked out Naylor, whose shot was turned behind by Lukic.

The Leeds keeper had been forced to touch over a rising drive by Andy Porter in the fourth minute. After the Naylor scare, Leeds began to assert themselves more but too often Yeboah was an isolated figure in attack. The home crowd were starting to vent their restlessness when the Potteries side squandered a simple chance midway through the opening half.

As if expecting an offside flag, the home defence froze when Allen Tankard swung in a cross. McCarthy, ghosting on the edge of the six-yard area, may have been thrown by their indecision, for he missed the ball completely. Leeds' problems continued when Gary Speed, whose low drive had just forced Paul Musselwhite into his first save, came off worse in a clash of heads with McCarthy and had to give way to Brian Deane.

The initiative of Mark Ford, their youngest player, brought Leeds their best chance before the interval. Yeboah's decoy run created a gap into which the midfielder surged, only for his shot to cannon to safety off Musselwhite's legs as the keeper dived the wrong way.

While the scourge of Everton, Bogie, promptly wasted a free shot after deft approach work by Naylor, the move was symptomatic of a telling contest between the sides. Vale built cleverly and thoughtfully, and always along the ground, whereas Leeds resorted too frequently to high, hopeful balls and showed an unhealthy reliance on Yeboah.

With the Ghanaian well policed by Neil Aspin, once a Leeds stalwart, Howard Wilkinson's decision to ignore the fit-again Tomas Brolin was once more called into question.

That would have been putting it politely had Steve Guppy not skied a good opportunity over the bar in the 64th minute, following a driven cross by McCarthy,

With 16 minutes remaining, the hitherto anonymous Rod Wallace charged into space and tested Musselwhite from 25 yards, but the keeper was equal to the shot and Vale deservedly held out.

Leeds United (4-5-1): Lukic; Kelly, Wetherall, Beesley, Dorigo; Wallace, Palmer, McAllister, Ford, Speed (Deane, 35); Yeboah. Substitutes not used: Radebe, Beeney (gk).

Port Vale (4-5-1): Musselwhite; Hill, Griffiths, Aspin, Tankard; McCarthy, Walker, Porter, Bogie, Guppy; Naylor. Substitutes not used: Glover, Talbot, Mills.

Referee: P. Durkin (Portland, Dorset).