31st December 1983
Elland Road, Division Two
Attendance: 14,148
Today’s encounter looks back at the final game of 1983, where club legend Eddie Gray watched his side blow the Teessiders away despite the Whites playing a large chunk of the game with 10 men.
Heading into the clash, Leeds weren't in the best of form but a blend of youthful talent combined with a few of Gray’s experienced teammates proved too much for Malcolm Allison’s Middlesbrough side.
Immediately the hosts were on the front foot, with Boro goalkeeper Kelham O’Hanlon saving well from Tommy Wright to deny the attacker after five minutes.
It was the youthful flair that fired Leeds into the lead after 22 minutes, with two teenagers combining well to break the deadlock.
Wright was involved again, setting up 18-year-old Scott Sellars superbly and he duly obliged, burying the chance nicely to open the scoring.
When Ken Walmsley’s whistle sounded for half-time, O’Hanlon would have felt content that his side were only one goal behind, after the constant Leeds pressure throughout.
The second half began in similar fashion with the hosts looking the liveliest and keen to extend their lead.
The pressure finally told after 51 minutes, when George McCluskey beat a couple of defenders and fired past O’Hanlon from a narrow angle, following an incisive move from Martin Dickinson’s free kick.
Dickinson was immediately involved once more, this time with a less fortunate outcome for his side, when he received his marching orders by Walmsley.
Not to be deterred by going a man down, McCluskey found the net for the second time in an inspired second half display as the Whites’ dominance was finally reflected on the scoreboard.
Fittingly, it was Wright who ended the scoring for Leeds when he raced past a number of Boro players and drilled a fine strike across goal and in off the post.
Goalkeeper David Harvey was tested rarely and was only beaten late on when David Currie converted from the penalty spot with just under 10 minutes to play.
The margin gifted Leeds an important three points, sending supporters home happy as they marched on into 1984.
