06/12/2003  Leeds 1 Chelsea 1
 
Premier League paupers Leeds produced a performance full of rich promise to almost embarrass a Chelsea side funded by the kind of sugar daddy Leeds desperately need.

A precious point, with Damien Duff cancelling out Jermaine Pennant's sensational strike, was enough to lift Leeds off the foot of the table for the first time since the beginning of November.

But Chelsea, now unbeaten in their last 11 matches, remain top courtesy of a late Leicester equaliser just when it appeared as if Arsenal were again ready to take over at the summit of English football.

The contrast between the teams was more startling than the top-versus-bottom picture represented by their league positions before kick off.

Leeds are currently fighting financial fires which have almost raged beyond their control, with billionaire Russian Roman Abramovich pumping the kind of money into Stamford Bridge which Leeds can only dream of at present given their £78million debts.

Leeds chief executive Trevor Birch, who introduced Abramovich to Chelsea and helped the tycoon spend £111million on an array of stars before being deposed pending the sometime-soon arrival of former Manchester United financial guru Peter Kenyon, joked before the game he would be passing round a collection plate in the boardroom.

Birch is currently trying to find another Abramovich with Leeds up for sale until January 19 after reaching 'a standstill agreement' with their creditors which allows them to trade until that point pending the prospect of administration.

Whether Leeds can be saved remains to be seen, but at least the players appear to be playing their part as the gravity of the situation has finally hit home.

For 60 minutes Leeds bore the hallmarks of Premiership pacesetters as passion, grit and a degree of skill came to the fore, characteristics which have been lacking for most of this season.

Caretaker-manager Eddie Gray has turned to the more experienced heads within the club who understand what the Premiership is all about, rather than the foreign on-loan mercenaries who the Scot concedes have struggled this season.

Although it was another of the loanees in Pennant who scored a stunning 18th-minute opener, the winger at least understands what the domestic game is all about.

His goal was a moment to savour for every Leeds fan, while for Chelsea supporters it was a sight they had not witnessed for a considerable period of time.

It was perhaps going to take something special to beat goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, and so it proved as Pennant lit up Elland Road with a goal of dazzling beauty.

It was also a goal which underlined Leeds' first-half performance for it was built on determination and desire before culminating in craft and ingenuity.

Claude Makelele, who has so often this season been the bedrock of Chelsea's push for the title, was robbed of the ball 25 yards from goal.

Pennant, in his fourth month on loan after joining Leeds from Arsenal in the summer, first evaded the sliding challenge of Wayne Bridge and then cut inside William Gallas before lofting the ball over the advancing Cudicini.

It was the first goal Chelsea had conceded for 10 hours and 53 minutes, while for Cudicini in particular, his barren drought had stretched to 11 hours and 47 minutes.

Chelsea rallied, as you would expect from league leaders, as first Joe Cole looked poised to equalise in the 22nd minute before being robbed by a fine challenge from Stephen McPhail, starting his first game for a year.

Frank Lampard then saw a first-time drive deflected narrowly wide, but beyond that it was Leeds who finished the opening 45 minutes by far the stronger.

They should certainly have had a two-goal cushion to defend after the break for six minutes from the interval, Gary Kelly and Mark Viduka combined to tee up McPhail, only for a first-time left-foot curler from 18 yards to shave the angle of bar and post.

The only black mark against Leeds in the first half were bookings for Alan Smith - his seventh of the season - Lucas Radebe and skipper Dominic Matteo, although with the latter two harsh.

Radebe's caution from Mike Dean came after he cleanly won the ball off former Leeds striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and after the Dutchman had blazed his free-kick high over the bar to the delight of the Leeds faithful, Matteo swiftly followed for dissent

But Chelsea showed their own degree of determination after the break for they forced Leeds into a rearguard action which finally bore fruit in the 69th minute.

After Paul Robinson, Lucas Radebe and Dominic Matteo, exemplary as captain, had kept the Blues at bay in one raid, Duff finally bundled home a rebound after Robinson had initially denied Adrian Mutu.

But to Leeds' credit, the floodgates never opened, and while Chelsea will reflect on a below-par display, for Leeds there is real hope for the future - both on and off the pitch.