12/11/2000  Chelsea 1 Leeds 1
 
In the end, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was for once - even against his former 
club Leeds - not the main attraction.

The striker may have had four half-chances as he strained every sinew to make 
his mark on the club that he left under such a cloud of controversy but he 
eventually became something of a sideshow.

For he failed to increase his tally of 11 goals for the season as first his 
eventual replacement at Elland Road, Mark Viduka, put the visitors ahead and 
then it was left to team-mate Gustavo Poyet to rescue a point for the Blues.

Perhaps Hasselbaink's main achievements were keeping his cool in the face of 
'Judas' taunts aimed at him by fans who once idolised him and in avoiding a 
booking in a fiery game in which eight other players were cautioned.

With the four half-chances that came his way in the first-half, two were 
struck wide and two were saved by goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

Otherwise, he was effectively marshalled by Leeds captain Lucas Radebe, who 
led a side that could certainly take credit for winning a point at Stamford 
Bridge after their midweek exertions in Milan.

For Chelsea, despite all their problems away from home, had won their past 
three games at Stamford Bridge and scored 12 times in the process.

This was the date, however, that Hasselbaink had underlined in his diary ever 
since he signed for Chelsea, with only the trip to Elland Road later this season 
being more heavily marked.

The striker may have paid tribute to the effect which Leeds had on 
transforming his career, with 42 goals in his two seasons there, but there was 
some unfinished business to settle following the manner of his departure.

For he was branded a contract rebel akin to Nicolas Anelka after the public 
row over his wage demands that led to him walking out of Elland Road to join 
Atletico Madrid in a £12million deal.

Since his departure, Leeds have effectively overtaken Chelsea, with a 2-0 win 
at Stamford Bridge last year and qualification for the second group stage of the 
Champions League, just as the Blues managed last season.

The jeers at Hasselbaink started even before the kick-off, but there is 
clearly little love lost between these two clubs anyway.

The opening exchanges were certainly fast and furious, with some spiky tackles 
and the first foul on Hasselbaink arriving after just one minute courtesy of 
Radebe.

The South African defender may have been keeping a close check on his former 
team-mate but Hasselbaink was straining at the leash to make his influence 
felt.

His pace took him on to a long ball by Albert Ferrer on 14 minutes but in 
taking the ball past Robinson, he almost reached the byline.

His attempted shot ended up as more of a cross and was cleared from in front 
of his goal-line by Lee Bowyer, who was a figure of perpetual motion on the 
right flank.

There were few other moments of goalmouth action in a fiercely competitive 
opening half-hour though, with four yellow cards shown in one six-minute spell.

With the Leeds midfield working overtime to restrict any space to Chelsea, 
neither side could truly impose themselves on a game that often became bogged 
down in the centre of the pitch.

But while Bowyer struck one long-range effort narrowly wide and Alan Smith was 
impressively trying to find space, the main threat almost inevitably came from 
Hasselbaink.

He headed one cross by Gianfranco Zola wide and then jinked away from Olivier 
Dacourt on the edge of the area before firing in a fierce shot which was too 
close to Robinson.

The Leeds keeper, whose emergence has been rewarded with a place in the senior 
England squad, parried the ball, just as he did when Hasselbaink beat Danny 
Mills with a burst of pace and tried his luck from the right flank.

His next burst forwards was tracked by Radebe, while he even managed to 
persuade dead-ball specialist Zola to leave him to strike a free-kick which was 
gathered by Robinson.

Chelsea certainly appeared to be on top but Leeds still managed to produce a 
classic counter-punch on the hour-mark as Viduka, who had hardly been involved 
in the game up to that point, struck.

The Australian had clearly not read the supposed script, or at least the one 
in which Hasselbaink - rated at just 7-2 odds to score the first goal - was 
supposed to star.

Then again, this rapidly emerging Leeds side are becoming something like 
specialists at upsetting the odds for as Bowyer's corner was swung over, Viduka 
rose above the stationary figure of Mario Melchiot to head home.

Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri made a triple substitution with 15 minutes left, 
with Tore Andre Flo, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Jody Morris coming on for Zola, Ferrer 
and Sam Dalla Bona.

And the Blues were level within four minutes as Poyet, whose deflected 
free-kick had been tipped over, scored from the ensuing corner.

Hasselbaink was involved in the frantic build-up, with two shots blocked in 
the penalty area before the ball looped into the air, Flo headed it onwards and 
Poyet struck from close range.

Robinson clutched Gudjohnsen's late effort and a draw was a fair result 
between two evenly-matched sides.

Hasselbaink, meanwhile, will have to wait until next April for another chance 
to score against his former club when he can expect a far more hostile reception 
at Elland Road.