KEITH GILLESPIE started his first match for Newcastle, United in more than two months last night and his goal helped to keep Kevin Keegan's side in the championship race. Newcastle are now three points behind Manchester United, with a game in hand but with a goal difference account six goals worse off than United's.
After going ahead, Newcastle went on to squander a series of chances and Keegan took off Faustino Asprilla, his £6.7 million Colombian striker, midway through the second half.
A defeat at Elland Road would virtually deliver the title to Old Trafford. But how likely was this? Leeds had lost 10 of their previous 13 league fixtures and not only were they still lacking Yeboah, Brolin, Jobson, Pemberton and Dorigo through injuries, they were also without the suspended Palmer.
Nevertheless, Palmer's replacement, Lucas Radebe, all but put Leeds ahead in the third minute. A slip by Philippe Albert allowed Brian Deane, pursuing a ball from Gary Kelly on the right, a free shot which Shaka Hislop did well to block. The rebound was met by Radebe with a well struck rising drive that glanced off the top of the crossbar.
With David Ginola suspended, Newcastle switched Robert Lee to the left flank and restored Gillespie to their right wing. But it was some time before Peter Beardsley or David Batty could gain sufficient grip of the midfield to give Newcastle any sort of momentum.
Leeds meanwhile continued to explore the edges of their opponents goal. In the ninth minute David Wetherall got his head to a centre from Gary McAllister and Newcastle's defence was laid bare as Andy Gray nodded the ball against a post.
Then, having, nearly lost the contest in the first 15 minutes, Newcastle promptly went ahead in the 16th. Leeds conceded a corner on the left, Les Ferdinand nodded Beardsley's kick into the goalmouth, and Gillespie provided the finishing touch with a header inside the right hand post.
Newcastle took considerable encouragement from this goal. Their passing regained its old poise and precision and the Leeds defence began to wobble in the face of some more incisive movement.
Yet Newcastle themselves still looked vulnerable at the back when Leeds did manage to put an attack together and get the ball quickly to Deane. Newcastle, however, began to dominate large areas of the game and might have increased their lead on the half hour. Steve Watson's pass up the right wing coincided perfectly with Beardsley's run and only Mark Beeney's agility in turning a shot away at the near post denied the England man a goal.
The half ended with Lee missing a sitter for Newcastle. Again Gillespie was the instigator, producing a high centre from the right hand byline which defeated a variety of heads before the ball dropped to Lee, who was falling but still should not have shot wide from such close range.
After 51 minutes Robbie Elliott's low cross from the left cannoned off Wetherall to Ferdinand, who only needed to make proper contact to score but mishit the ball past the near post. This did nothing to soothe Newcastle's nerves and they had to survive a tense finish.
