Jobson proves worth for Leeds

WIMBLEDON have not won in the Premiership since they defeated Liverpool in early September but three draws in their last four matches signals something of a return to familiar ways for Joe Kinnear's perennial survivors. Leeds join Middlesbrough and Newcastle as major forces resisted in this revival.

Leeds, in spite of a performance high on effort but critically lacking in imagination, felt they deserved more than to scramble a point with a late second-half equaliser, but equally Wimbledon did not deserve defeat. Kinnear's heralding of "another great performance capped by a magnificent goal" was not unreasonable.

The Wimbledon manager is pinning the club's future on their projected move to Dublin, laughed off as fantasy in some quarters, going ahead. He revealed that the club has also attracted attention from potential millionaire backers in Wales, who are interested in relocating it in Cardiff.

"I'm resigned to the fact that we have no future as a Premiership club in London," Kinnear said. "We cannot compete financially, in terms of wages or transfer fees, and I've told Sam Hammam that it is make or break time financially.

"But with the kind of backing we have been promised, with a 70,000 stadium in Dublin, we could be as big as Rangers or Celtic or Manchester United. We would have the resources to go out and buy the best centre- forward in Germany, the best centre-half in Italy, or whoever.''

Having swept into a fourth-minute lead, Wimbledon defended as if their lives depended on it and there were only 14 minutes left when Richard Jobson drilled home an equaliser, lifting fears of a third consecutive Premiership defeat for Leeds. The Yorkshire side might have won with the last kick, when Alan Reeves cleared off the line from Rod Wallace, although that would have been unfair on the visitors.

Wimbledon's opening goal, which had its roots in an error by Tomas Brolin in midfield, involved a fine through pass by Dean Holdsworth and an excellent run by Efan Ekoku, whose cut-back allowed Oyvind Leonhardsen to stun the home crowd.

Brolin, who completed 90 minutes for the first time in three starts since his pounds 4.5m move from Parma, almost redeemed himself when his chip over the goalkeeper Paul Heald hit the crossbar. Tony Yeboah also twice went close and Heald pulled off a brilliant save to keep out Gary Speed's header.