31-07-91: Bradford City (a) 1-0 (HT 1-0) Crowd (3,630)

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For Leeds, Tony Dorigo replaced Gordon Strachan at half-time and Imre Varadi took the place of Bobby Davison at Inside Right, with ten minutes left on the clock. For City, Mark Stuart replaced Sean McCarthy at Outside Left three minutes before time. Steve Bell of Bradford was the Referee.

Match Report bt Barry Foster: Courtesy Mark Ledgard

Heading for a season in which many expect them to win a major trophy, Leeds United put a substantial downpayment on a minor one last night. they took five points-two for winning the first half , one for drawing the second and two as overall winners-from their West Riding Senior Cup tie with the holders Bradford City at Valley Parade, a match which also doubled up as a testimonial for the former Leeds assistant manager and city chief scout Maurice Lindley. Lindley got a marvellous ly warm salute from the 3,630 crowd who are likely to have raised around £15,000 for the veteran. It seems a small figure however, when put beside the money spent on the side Leeds started the game with-£4.7m, and there was £1.3m Tony Dorigo on the bench. But the expansive choice the Leeds manager has at his disposal is one of the major reasons why Leeds start the new season as one of the firm favourites for honours.They showed plenty of promise, too, last night-but City matched them well in a tie that was a solid pre-season workout for both clubs. Many eyes were on Leeds' most expensive import, £1.6m Rod Wallace znd his speed and powerful shooting gave Wilkinsona new cutting edge to his sword. Dorigo, back in double quick time from a summer operation, was a revelation when he came on for the second half to give Leeds even more options but it was the evergreen Mervyn Day who made, perhaps, the biggest mark on the game as City made a string of chances. Three times he stood between them and an equaliser and each time showed his experience and skill to deny City. Once Wesley Reid was through on the left and Day closed him downso well the shot went wide then in the second half when Philip Babb was clear Day produced a similar saving action and with four minutes left he tipped a goalbound snapshot from Stephen Torpey over the crossbar. The match winner came in the thirty-first minute from the Leeds centre-back Chris Fairclough-and the fact that it came from a set piece and that City were able to keep out Leeds' expensive side in open play for the rest of the match must have pleased the City manager John Docherty. David Wetherall, one of the new Leeds players from Sheffield Wednesday, got the head on the corner taken by Gordon Strachan and there was Fairclough on the six yard line to head into the roof of the net for the all important goal. Apart from that Leeds' best other moment came early in the second half when Wallace, close in, lifted the ball over the bar after receiving a sharp pass.