Cardiff City - 2 Leeds Utd - 1: Cardiff are certain to face an English Football Association inquiry into the crowd trouble which overshadowed their late victory over the Premiership leaders Leeds yesterday.
Riot police had to use batons and dogs to force back hundreds of Cardiff supporters who invaded the pitch and gathered in front of the away section to taunt the Leeds fans. Four people were arrested as a result of the violence and a woman Leeds supporter received head injuries during the game.
Missiles were thrown by both sets of supporters in the exchange and objects were hurled on to the pitch during a raw, gripping match which was won in the 87th minute by Scott Young's close-range shot.
Cardiff supporters threw bottles at several Leeds players, hitting Ian Harte and Danny Mills, and struck the referee Andy D'Urso on the head with what appeared to be a coin. One home fan threw a punch at Lee Bowyer as the midfielder left the pitch at the end and the visitors' team coach was reportedly attacked.
A memorable, if ugly, tie also included the dismissal of Leeds's Alan Smith for use of the elbow shortly before half-time. David O'Leary said he wondered whether there was "an agenda" against Smith and called on the FA to examine the home crowd's behaviour.
"We want passion and good atmospheres but for me it's gone beyond that. That's the worst I've seen for a long time. The amount of small liquor bottles thrown at my players was disgraceful. I thought that had gone from football in this country."
Cardiff manager Alan Cork said he had not witnessed the post-match scenes because he was in the dressing-room and that he saw only one bottle thrown during the match. "When you have passionate fans like we have here you have to enjoy yourselves," he said.
Cardiff, 10th in Division Two, came from behind to win. Republic of Ireland international Graham Kavanagh, who impressed in the match, equalised Mark Viduka's early goal with a fine free-kick and Young's goal came from a rare second-half shot on target.
Leeds' efforts were hardly helped by Smith's red card for elbowing Andy Legg. It was the striker's fourth sending off in nine months and the sixth of his career. O'Leary described the decision as "very harsh", insisting Smith had turned and had not intended to "whack the fellow". Legg said his mouth was cut, and Smith did his England chances no good and will miss crucial games against Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.
"I'm wondering whether there's an agenda with Alan Smith," O'Leary said. "I think referees are quick to get on him. There's no benefit of the doubt with him," he added. "At times he deserves what he gets. At other times he's a victim. There were tackles before and after which no one was booked for, including one on Rio Ferdinand which nearly broke his ankle. If Alan Smith had made those would he have got the same treatment?
Ferdinand went off inside five minutes allowing Michael Duberry and Jonathan Woodgate to partner each other at centre back for the first time since Woodgate was convicted of affray, partly on Duberry's evidence.
Leeds rarely impressed early on, though Viduka's goal was excellently taken. A poor pass by Spencer Prior enabled Gary Kelly to set up Viduka for a sharp shot from 20 yards.
Kavanagh's 25-yard free-kick brought Cardiff level but their possession and pressure produced few clear chances before Young, Cardiff's longest-serving player, pounced after Leo Fortune-West's header from a corner had been blocked by David Batty. Young was a fitting match-winner, having 10 minutes earlier denied Viduka with a perfect tackle.
CARDIFF CITY: Alexander, Gabbidon, Prior, Young, Legg, Boland, Bonner, Kavanagh, Brayson, Earnshaw, Gordon (Fortune-West 79). Subs Not Used: Maxwell, Bowen, Weston, Low. Booked: Boland, Bonner. Goals: Kavanagh 21, Young 87.
LEEDS UNITED: Martyn, Mills, Woodgate, Ferdinand (Duberry 10), Harte, Kelly, Bowyer, Batty, Smith, Viduka, Fowler. Subs Not Used: McPhail, Robinson, Wilcox, Richardson. Sent Off: Smith (43). Booked: Harte, Duberry. Goal: Viduka 12.
Referee: A D'Urso (Billericay).
