M_O_L_E2@hotmail.com visited Elland Road on 02/02/2019
Game watched: Leeds 1-3 Norwich
Well where to begin. The morning off the game I’m in London, trying to work out what parkrun isn’t cancelled due to ice, when my Mum phones and tells me my Nan passed away a couple of hours ago. Cue raw emotion and indecision about what was the right thing to do. The family told me I should still go, and so it came to be.
I travelled up to Tring via train to meet my mate who I used to live with at uni and his dad - Leeds fans!
Journey up was smooth, was trying to think the last time I did an away day in a car purely for the reason of the game (did cardiff in the cup in August but was staying on in barry after with the gf).
Parked right outside the ground, and went in to billy’s for a pint. Was okay in there but not much atmosphere weirdly (think its only intended for home fans!). We then went our separate ways and I went in the away end bar - harold’s, was okay for its age, and the Norwich fans certainly created an atmosphere in there. A big cheer went up when Ipswich conceded in the 90th min to go 1 down.
Into the ground, strangely there is a crossover with Leeds fans who are going to a ticket office, by the away end section.
Ground is dated certainly, but it’s just about manageable for moving around. Arrived at my seat half hour from kick off, lad next to me asked if I was on my own and would mind switching with his mate who was on his own further down. I obliged and swapped, and ended up celebrating the 3 goals linked up to one or other and sometimes both of the people next to me.
The Leeds fans were noisy before kick off and were waving their scarves around frantically, but their team didn’t match it, and when we took an early lead, it certainly rocked them. The second goal definitely rocked them, and stunned the Norwich fans as nobody knew what had happened and it looked so easy we thought there must be an offside or something. 2-0 at half time and in dreamland!
Bielsa made two changes at half time, but it made little difference. Leeds had been good first half and produced many decent chances, but there finishing was well off. Leeds started to get dirty and got pretty physical with several of our players, hopefully there aren’t any injuries once they get assessed come Monday. Norwich got a 3rd which was a bit unorthodox and a bit scrappy, but you take it all day!! We had other chances, but in the end conceded to a late goal from Bamford, which started Leeds fans back chanting ‘top of the league’, with Norwich fans a bit uncertain - but the Leeds fans hadn’t done their maths well! Another away day seeing ‘little’ Norwich City go top of the league, and marvellous that it was such an emphatic decision.
There was a minute’s applause before the game and the players wore black armbands, and whilst it was of course for several Leeds supporters and ex-player, I was also thinking of my Nan. The players put in a whole-hearted performance and she would have been so proud of them.
Overall, a great performance and a good ‘away day’ but a very challenging one.