14-10-39: Grimsby Town (h) 2-2 (HT 0-1) Crowd (3,000)

Match Report:

Yorkshire Post: 16-10-1939

END OF "FRIENDLIES" WELCOMED

Half-Hearted Response by Public

LEEDS UNITED RALLY TO DRAW

The leading Association football clubs of the country welcomed the end of the period of exclusively "friendly" matches on Saturday, for the response of the public to these games had been only half-hearted. The patronage generally has been little more than sufficient to pay current match expenses; but if the "gates" increased to an average of about 5,000, the clubs should, on their present greatly reduced scale of expenditure, be able to carry on nicely. Next Saturday the regional competition fixtures arranged by the Football League will begin, and though it will be necessary to fix up a good many more friendly matches to augment the attenuated League lists, public interest will undoubtedly be quickened by the area tournaments and by the publication of tables.

Indebted to Swindin

After four "friendly" matches away from home, Leeds United made their first appearance at Elland Road since the outbreak of war, their visitors being Grimsby Town. An attendance of just over 3,000 saw a match which began tamely but developed into a lively spectacle. Leeds United had the assistance for the first time of Swindin, the Arsenal and former Bradford City goalkeeper, who is now a member of the Bradford Auxiliary Police Force, and his very alert exhibition added materially to the interest of the game. Swindin has an exceptionally acute sense of timing, and darting exit of goal on a number of occasions he cleared with unerring judgment from the feet of opposing forwards. Soon after the start he "called" for a dropping ball, but Tom Holley, the Leeds centre-half, nevertheless jumped to head it and was knocked over by his goalkeeper. The pointed manner in which Holley kept clear of Swindin afterwards greatly amused the crowd. With a powerful wind behind them in the first half, Grimsby had a good deal more of the attack, and took the lead when Crack, their outside left, was tripped as he cut in for goal and Vincent scored from the penalty kick. The visitors went further ahead early in the second half, Kurz, the centre, scoring from a pass by Jones, the inside left, whose unflagging energy and accurate constructive work made him the outstanding player of the match. Fighting with good spirit, Leeds reduced the lead, Dunderdale scoring from a penalty kick given when Hargreaves was pushed over, and Hodgson equalised 20 minutes from the end. Leeds were much indebted to Swindin in the early stages, but their team work improved greatly later on.