BIRMINGHAM CITY 2 CITY 1
League Division 1
14th February 1976
attendance 22,445
scorers
City Hartford(12)
Birmingham Gallagher(41), Kendall(59)
Ref Mr P Walters
City Corrigan, Clements, Donachie, Doyle, Watson, Oakes, Keegan, Booth, Royle, Hartford, Barnes – sub Power(unused)
.
Birmingham Latchford, Martin, Styles, Kendall, Gallagher, Burns, Page, Francis, Hatton, Withe, Calderwood – sub Taylor
.
…There was an injury scare at St Andrews when Dennis Tueart had to withdraw through injury. Kenny Clements was back in the side in a No 2 shirt and Ged Keegan played in midfield. The manager had wanted to try Keegan at full back.
The Manchester side played well for the first half-hour with Asa Hartford, Peter Barnes and Joe Royle, in particular, showing up well. It was Hartford who gave us the lead after 13 minutes. He linked up with Royle and, spotting an opening, he fired accurately past Dave Latchford.
But gradually Birmingham showed they were battlers – and they had to be, seeing that they were third from bottom – and youth team product Joe Gallagher, a guy called Howard Kendall and future-Blue Trevor Francis forced their way back into contention.
It was a Francis corner that led to the equaliser just before the break, the ball falling perfectly for Gallagher to slot past Joe Corrigan.
Hartford had some hard luck in the second half when he seemed certain to score, but there was Gallagher at the other end, this time to head safely from under the bar.
And, of course, it had to be Francis who designed the winning goal. He took a pass from Kendall and as he weighed up his options, the visiting defence aided and abetted him, and could have been charged with neglect of duty.
Trevor might have scored himself but he chose the alternative; he saw that Kendall was in a more favourable position and slipped the ball inside to him, giving Corrigan no chance whatsoever.
ADAPTED FROM AN ARTICLE BY JOHN MADDOOCKS FROM THE CITY PROGRAMME 14TH FEBRUARY 1996
The Manchester side played well for the first half-hour with Asa Hartford, Peter Barnes and Joe Royle, in particular, showing up well. It was Hartford who gave us the lead after 13 minutes. He linked up with Royle and, spotting an opening, he fired accurately past Dave Latchford.
But gradually Birmingham showed they were battlers – and they had to be, seeing that they were third from bottom – and youth team product Joe Gallagher, a guy called Howard Kendall and future-Blue Trevor Francis forced their way back into contention.
It was a Francis corner that led to the equaliser just before the break, the ball falling perfectly for Gallagher to slot past Joe Corrigan.
Hartford had some hard luck in the second half when he seemed certain to score, but there was Gallagher at the other end, this time to head safely from under the bar.
And, of course, it had to be Francis who designed the winning goal. He took a pass from Kendall and as he weighed up his options, the visiting defence aided and abetted him, and could have been charged with neglect of duty.
Trevor might have scored himself but he chose the alternative; he saw that Kendall was in a more favourable position and slipped the ball inside to him, giving Corrigan no chance whatsoever.
ADAPTED FROM AN ARTICLE BY JOHN MADDOOCKS FROM THE CITY PROGRAMME 14TH FEBRUARY 1996