Leeds produced some stunning football this afternoon to beat Manchester City 5-2 at Maine Road in the fourth round of the FA Cup. All this despite going behind twice in the first quarter of an hour of the game.

O'Leary was able to welcome back Radebe and Bowyer, following their single match suspensions, and McPhail from injury. Unfortunately, though, Bridges was unavailable this afternoon (another suspension!), giving recent signing Jason Wilcox the opportunity to make his first full start.

The game itself could hardly have started more disastrously. Just two minutes were on the clock when the home team took took the lead. Horlock lobbed the ball forward to Goater, who headed the ball past Martyn. However, the only two people who appeared not to notice that there were two City players clearly offside were the referee and linesman.

Far from hang our heads, though, we went immediately on the offensive and spent the rest of the first half incessantly attacking the Manchester goal. Pressure paid off almost immediately. Just seven minutes later, a McPhail free kick was headed goalwards by Harte, only for Bakke to get the faintest of glances with his boot, to put the ball past Weaver and into the net.

It appeared that we would now take control but City had other ideas. Bishop picked up a loose ball thirty yards from goal, rode a challenge by McPhail before burying an unstoppable drive high into the top left hand corner of Martyn's goal. 2-1 to City...Could we come back again? The answer was an emphatic "yes!"

On 16 minutes, Harte's free kick found the target but was palmed away by the City keeper, then six minutes later, we put ourselves level. Another dead ball situation saw the home defence yet again in trouble. Harte again won a header, Weaver saved but Smithy bundled the ball home.

From then on, we stepped up the pressure even further - and it was only Weaver who kept the score level. Just a minute after our second goal, Smithy had another chance which the keeper blocked. The ball fell to Harry on the right hand side of the box, who hit a screamer into the top right corner. Somehow, though, the City keeper got his fingertips to it to palm the ball to safety.

Two minutes later, he made another save, this time from Bakke from a tight angle. On the half hour mark, McPhail whipped in another corner which found the unmarked head of Smith, who unfortunately missed the target. On 35 minutes, a powerful run down the middle from Bowyer led to a Wilcox one on one with Weaver. This time, the forward's first touch was just a little strong and the keeper smothered the ball.

Still, though, we wouldn't be denied. Just three minutes before the interval, Wilcox - who was having an impressive first full match - made good progress down the left, cracking the ball across the face of the City goal for Kewell to tap in at the far post. It was certainly no more than we deserved.

The second half started at the same frenetic pace with Leeds still peppering the City goal. On 51 minutes, Kewell's never say die attitude on the right led to the ball falling to Wilcox on the edge of the area, whose powerful shot was hit straight into Weaver's middrift. Then, within the space of a couple of minutes, Bakke had two half chances: firstly slicing the ball wide after good approach work by Smith, then forcing a corner off a rapidly retreating Jobson.

On 65 minutes, the game was as good as killed off. More good work down the left from Wilcox and a ball played into the box saw Bowyer hit a first time screamer past a static Weaver. A superb move and shot, deserving to win any game.

From this point onwards, we quietly controlled the game, soaking up the occasional Manchester City attack whilst continuing to look immensely threatening on the break. On 80 minutes, Bowyer made a great opportunity for himself but instead of finding Kewell, who would have had a tap in, he went for glory himself, as Weaver smothered the ball at his feet.

Shortly before the end, Smithy was replaced by Huckerby, who was immediately in the thick of the action. Sprinting down the left hand flank and into the City area, on 88 minutes, he unselfishly found Harry, who tapped in for his second and Leeds' fifth. There was still time, though, for the Aussie wizard to be denied his hat trick. On the stroke of full time, he beat four City defenders in a mazy cross field run, only to see his shot fingertipped onto the upright. A hat trick would have been fully deserved for our Man of the Match.

Make no mistakes, this was a superb performance by the Whites. In the end we breezed through what always looked a tricky tie. The whole team played their part - with Bowyer and Kewell particularly worthy of note.

United Star Man: Harry Kewell