Bubbling Brolin

FOR 24 ordinary minutes most of the crowd's attention was centred on Lee Chapman, now 36, recalled on loan from Ipswich to fill the gap caused by the international calls on the strikers Tony Yeboah and Phil Masinga and the suspension of Brian Deane.

Chapman, principal striker in the 1992 championship-winning side, did not disappoint his old faithful. He was never particularly fast or skilful but always a hard-headed and brave opportunist who has given full value to his many clubs. Chapman knows the ropes and was his usual obstreperous self in the box and, in the 25th minute, helped bring about the first goal.

Ludek Miklosko, looking nervous, dropped a centre from Rodney Wallace that Tomas Brolin headed in after his first attempt was blocked. A minute later, with Chapman still savouring the cheers, he was sent off, the referee Paul Danson ruling that he had led with his elbow going up for the ball with Marc Reiper.

It did seem a harsh decision and it is little wonder that managers become irate. What happened could hardly be compared, for instance, with the continual fouling of David Ginola by Lee Dixon at Arsenal last week.

Elland Road then expected Leeds to put up the barricades and try to hold on for the remaining hour. Not a bit of it.

They left Wallace upfield while Brolin marshalled the 10 men expertly. He used Wallace's speed, steering him towards available gaps as West Ham pushed forward. With Gary McAllister rampaging behind, Leeds made light of their numerical inferiority. They always seemed the more likely to score the second goal.

Keith Rowland skimmed an angle, Iain Dowie headed over and, in the last 10 minutes, when Leeds had sent on three youngsters, the Hammers managed to force United into some panicky defending by the competent Mark Beeney's post.

But by then Leeds were 2-0 ahead, McAllister's persistence down the right in the 64th minute took him past two defenders and his pass was placed beautifully by Brolin through a packed defence and wide of the goalkeeper.

This was Leeds' seventh match in 20 days and if they were tired they showed no loss of spirit and, inspired by Brolin, considerable acumen and penetration. Perhaps the revival really has begun.