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Histon 1 Leeds United 0: Postman Langston sorts out Leeds as Histon deliver win
FA Cup John Charles, Billy Bremner, Don Revie, Howard Wilkinson... your boys took one hell of a beating.
The illustrious names of Leeds United's yesteryear could never have conceived of a result such as this, as one of the leaders of the Blue Square Premier Division inflicted on Leeds one of the most embarrassing results in their celebrated history.
There were tears of joy at the Glass World Stadium, where the part-timers powered into the FA Cup third round with a performance that was even more convincing than the scoreline would suggest.
Although Leeds huffed and puffed and came desperately close to an equaliser midway through the second period, when Lubomir Michalik struck a 15-yard shot against a post, Histon also had opportunities to increase their advantage and increase the humiliation of the League One side.
In truth, the stage could not have been better suited for the proverbial Cup upset.
Histon have been flying of late – seven straight league wins have raised hopes of a first-ever promotion to the Football League – and Leeds have been frustratingly inconsistent – one minute inspired, the next insipid.
Throw into the mix a 4,500 full house, a partisan atmosphere and rain-swept conditions that negated Leeds's passing game, and the portents were not good for a side who found themselves horribly bogged down in the mother of all battles.
"The biggest game in the history of little old Histon", as the matchday announcer put it prior to kick-off, unfolded into one of the most stunningly inglorious in that of Leeds, who have surely sunk no lower in footballing terms since the heady heights of seven years ago, when they contested the Champions League semi-finals.
Leeds's involvement in that competition seems utterly incredulous now, as does the fact Histon were a Southern League club in 2001, and although Leeds's decline and fall has rightly hogged the headlines, the rise of Histon is, in its own small way, no less dramatic or worthy of attention.
The decisive moment in this gritty, hard-fought game came six minutes before half-time when Matthew Langston, a postman by trade, delivered a firm header past Leeds's goalkeeper David Lucas after rising to meet a corner by Gareth Gwillim.
As befits a team coached by John Beck, the notorious long-ball merchant, many of Histon's attacks came from set-plays – in particular corners – and Gwillim summoned the quality of delivery to complement the tactics.
But Histon were not all about balls launched long down the channels and terrier-like tackling; they also produced some genuine skill.
Danny Wright gave Leeds a torrid afternoon, while leading scorer Jack Midson showed the touch of a man punching a good couple of divisions below his weight.
Midson initially drew Beck's wrath when, straight from the kick-off, he played the ball backwards – the cardinal sin in the eyes of the former Cambridge United, Preston North End and Lincoln City manager.
"Aim for the corners," screamed Beck, expletive deleted, but the coach was applauding Midson in the fifth minute when he went close to giving the home side the lead, nodding Jamie Barker's cross fractionally wide.
Leeds did their best to keep the ball on the ground and a neat midfield inter-change almost produced the opening goal in the 20th minute when Luciano Becchio was teed-up in a central position 10 yards from goal.
But the striker blazed the ball over the bar and out of the ground – almost taking out a lone cameraman in the process, who cut a forlorn figure perched on a primitive set of scaffolding high behind the goal.
Midson almost doubled Histon's lead in the 54th minute when he dispossessed Rui Marques on the left edge of the penalty area, cut inside and struck a vicious right-footed shot which Alan Sheehan somehow headed over the bar. From the resultant corner, Antonio Murray drew a good smothering stop from Lucas, diving to his right.
Leeds had chances towards the end: Becchio drove into the side-netting from the left of the area, Fabian Delph hammered a drive over the top from 25 yards and the luckless Michalik had a spectacular 18-yard volley cleared off the line by Murray.
But Histon held on for a deserved victory, the final whistle heralding a huge outpouring of emotion among the elated home support.
An hour or so after kick-off, Beck could be seen with a cigar in one hand and a pint of lager in the other, saying: "We've beaten Leeds! Who'd have thought it?"
Histon: Naisbitt; Oyebanjo, Ada, Langston, Gwillim; Barker (Murray 49), Simpson, Mitchel-King, Knight-Percival; Midson, Wright. Unused substitutes: Welch, Pope, Okay, Kennedy, Andrews, Reeve.
Leeds United: Lucas; Richardson, Marques, Michalik, Sheehan; Hughes (Howson 59), Douglas, Delph, Robinson (Showunmi 52); Snodgrass, Becchio. Unused substitutes: Ankergren, Prutton, Kilkenny, Parker, Telfer.
Referee: N Swarbrick (Lancashire).MATCH FOCUS
Hero: Fabian Delph
Conditions did not suit the stylish midfielder, who was forced to dance between the puddles, but he still showed flashes of genuine skill. One 40-yard run almost unlocked the Histon defence, but this was a day when the majority of the heroes were on the home side.
Villain: Luciano Becchio
Should have done better with a golden opportunity when teed-up by Robert Snodgrass. He had time and space 10 yards from goal but spooned the ball high over the crossbar.
Key moment
39th minute: From Gareth Gwillim's corner, Matthew Langston planted a firm header past goalkeeper David Lucas.
Ref watch
Neil Swarbrick did his best to allow the game to flow in squelchy conditions as the tackles flew in left, right and centre.
Verdict
Leeds were not out-fought or out-classed, but they are out. With a little more luck they might have forced a replay, but failed to show their true quality.
Next game
Tranmere Rovers v Leeds United; Saturday, December 6; League One.
Quote of the day
I feel as if I'm the guy who can get this club into the Championship."
Leeds United manager Gary McAllister after his side were knocked out of the FA Cup by non-League Histon.
Big match talking points from Leeds's loss
How bad a defeat was this for Leeds United?
Very bad.
It goes without saying that a club with their history and tradition should not be losing to the likes of Histon, but the FA Cup is no respecter of reputations and Leeds did not live up to theirs on a sorry afternoon.
The important thing now is how Leeds respond. With their League One promotion challenge having wavered of late, they urgently need to string together a good run of results to put pressure on the leaders and to help eradicate the memory of this wretched day.
But a setback such as this will take a long time to live down, and Leeds must look at themselves long and hard in the mirror during the next few days.
Leeds manager Gary McAllister insisted he is still the right man to take the club forward despite this result. Is he right?
Yes.
Although there is a temptation to rush into stinging criticism in the wake of such a result, McAllister is building a side at Elland Road and there is no reason why Leeds cannot push on and gain promotion.
Some of their attacking play this season has been excellent, and if McAllister can sort out the defence, then Leeds will have a side capable of forcing their way into the Championship.
What this result does show, however, is that Leeds and their manager still have plenty to do.
How good were Histon?
Make no mistake, they are a pretty handy outfit and one that look as though they could hold their own if they achieve their target of winning promotion to the Football League.
Coach John Beck has got them battling, manager Steve Fallon has got them producing some nifty touches in between the direct stuff, and there is no reason why they can't continue the excellent strides they have taken during the past decade.
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