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Goals Galore and There Could Have Been More
Written by clivebleedingthomas on Monday, 6th Apr 2020 09:00

In early October 1992, with 10 games played the infant Premier League had a bizarre look about it. Norwich City top, Nottingham Forest bottom, Oldham Athletic alongside the Town in mid-table, two points above Liverpool.

Saturday 3rd October was a bad day for the league leaders; Alan Shearer leading the 7-1 rout at Ewood Park as Blackburn Rovers leapfrogged to the top.

Ipswich Town, reigning Champions of Division Two, were pitted against the old Division One’s last Champions, Leeds United. The match lived up to its billing and enthralled the crowd of 21,200.

Saturday 3rd October 1992 Ipswich Town 4 Leeds United 2

Eleven minutes had elapsed when a Neil Thompson corner led to Phil Whelan’s header narrowly clearing the crossbar. Gary McAllister shot just wide from 25 yards before Town took the lead in the 25th minute.

John Lukic had made a spectacular save from Paul Goddard. The resultant corner by Thompson dropped into the heart of the dormant Leeds defence allowing the diminutive figure of Chris Kiwomya to nip in and head past Lukic.

Town’s second goal came directly from a freekick 20 yards from goal. Thompson and John Wark shaped to shoot, but it was the Town veteran who bent the ball round the end of the wall, Lukic getting an arm to it but unable to stop the ball.

A decisive sliding tackle by Geraint Williams snuffed out a goalscoring opportunity for Gordon Strachan three minutes before half-time. The excitement was not over and Town went into the interval three up; Wark scoring from the penalty spot following a foul on Goddard as he had prepared to shoot.

Town started the second half very much on the front foot with Jason Dozzell striking the crossbar with a powerful header. However, it was the visitors who scored next when Lee Chapman, later to sign for Town, beat Micky Stockwell by the post.

Leeds United were becoming more dominant. Gary Speed reduced the deficit with a spectacular diving header from Gordon Strachan’s corner. The home crowd were unhappy that referee David Elleray had missed some pushing on David Linighan in the build-up.

With Town’s slender lead looking increasingly threatened, the game was keeping everyone on the edge of their seats. Some relief for Blues fans came with 20 minutes to go, Dozzell finished off a super move with one of his typical neck-stretching headers.

In the build-up Stockwell and Goddard had exchanged passes before putting Wark in a position to provide the killer pass with a pinpoint cross.

In the final stages Kiwomya came close to scoring Town’s fifth goal on two occasions - once thwarted by the visiting goalkeeper and then firing wide.

Goddard, returning after four games out through injury, had an outstanding match. His hold-up play giving Kiwomya chances to use his pace against the Leeds defence.

Playing an attacking role at wide right midfield, 35-year-old Wark stopped the potential attacking threat of Tony Dorigo. Craig Forrest played his part in what was a notable victory; his strength in the air against the aerial threat of both Lee Chapman and Eric Cantona being a key feature of the match.

The win took Town up to eighth place after 11 matches played. They were to finish the inaugural season of the Premier League in 16th, three points above the relegation zone. One point behind them were Leeds United.

Town team: Forrest, Whelan, Stockwell, Thompson, Linighan, Wark, Williams, Goddard, Johnson, Dozzell, Kiwomya.

Leeds United: Lukic, Sellars (Rocastle), Dorigo, Batty, Fairclough, Whyte, Strachan, Cantona, Chapman, McAllister, Speed.




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