Christmas Crackers, part two.

Our second game in the days between Christmas and New Year was again at home, this time against Leeds United. There are two compelling reasons why Forest and Leeds fans might not like each other.


The miner's strike of the mid-eighties was very divisive as the union members of Nottingham and Yorkshire decided to go their separate ways, leading to wide-spread antipathy between Nottingham and Yorkshire clubs. I note this most particularly between Forest and Barnsley fans. The other big reason is the arrival and subsequent great success of Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest. Cloughie didn't think much of the team Don Revie had built at Leeds, in fact, he later wrote "Leeds had been the dirtiest and most cynical team in the country in the late Sixties and early Seventies..". Clough had been a great success as manager at Derby County (together with Peter Taylor) and Leeds wanted some of that magic to carry their team to greater heights when Revie left to manage the England team. So in July 1974 Leeds United appointed Brian Clough as their manager, despite his well-known views which he continued to make during the early days of his tenure, and forty four days later sacked him. In January 1975 he was shaking hands with the committee of Nottingham Forest as their new manager, to be joined later by his mate Peter Taylor. Just over four years later Forest were celebrating winning the European Cup, an astonishing rise.


Leeds arrived at the CG in a fine run of form, almost matching that of Forest, which had taken them to sixth place in the Championship, just one place and one point below Forest. This meant we faced another very tough game, just three days after the last one. Nevertheless, Billy Davies opted to keep the same team with just one change. On loan David Vaughan was unfit and his place was taken by Radi Majewski. Forest got the first blow in straight after the kick off, almost literally. The ball was timidly played back to Paddy Kenny in the Leeds goal. He raced out and Halford raced forward. From my position Halford appeared to reach the ball first with Kenny careering into him. However, Kenny was slightly injured and the referee decided that in fact Halford had fouled the Leeds man. The injury prevented the 'keeper from taking goal kicks for the rest of the match.


Forest dominated the first half in front of a large crowd, going ahead on 25 minutes with a header from our stop-gap centre forward. Reid crossed a free kick from the left and Halford headed across Kenny and into the net in front of an ecstatic Trent End. As usual, as the half went on we spurned numerous chances to increase the lead.


The second half was more even, but Forest had more clear cut chances which they didn't take. Most notable was a neat ball from Chalobah (on as a sub) to give Reid a clear shot at goal, which hit the post and went out. Of course, on 83 minutes the almost inevitable happened. Leeds broke down their right and the ball was squared across the six yard box to no one in particular. Lascelles, our fine young centre half, reached it first and hooked the ball away. He only succeeded in hitting the goalkeeper Darlow; the ball spun away to McCormack, lurking a few yards away and he had no problem tucking the ball into the net. Needless to say, Leeds were delighted at this unexpected present.


At times like this fans have visions of their team going straight down the field from the kick off and scoring. And, blow me, that is just what happened. Lansbury, having a wonderful season, pushed the ball forward to Chalobah. He slid the ball straight into the path of the fast-moving Derbyshire and, like a bullet, the ball was past Kenny and into the net for the winner. Delirium.  It was a goal that our lads deserved for another tremendous win, 2-1.


So the second three point haul over Christmas and another step onwards towards at least a playoff place and, possibly, fingers crossed, touch wood and all that, automatic promotion.