City Corrigan, Hammond, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Oakes, Hartford, Bell, Royle, Marsh, Tueart – sub Daniels(46)

Chelsea Phillips, Locke, Harris, Hollins, Droy, Hinton, Kember, Hay, Cooke, Hutchinson, Houseman – sub Langley(72)

FROM THE PRESS BOX

PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS FOOTBALL PINK FINAL 12TH APRIL 1975
Asa Hartford gave Manchester City the lead after 32 minutes of a dour struggle against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.
Hartford, it was only his second goal for the Blues, headed in a Dennis Tueart cross after a spell of Chelsea pressure in which the Londoners had scorned a couple of useful chances.
Hinton robbed Royle when Hartford pushed the ball in low from the left. However, the City striker had better luck heading the ball down for Marsh, surprisingly with his socks pulled up. The Blues’ skipper was pushed midway inside the Chelsea half, but Hammond’s free kick went straight to Phillips.
Royle was also knocked over by Droy after Booth had twice headed clear when Chelsea attempted to hit back. But the free kick, this time from Oakes, was headed clear by Cooke.
Bell finally found the mark with the first decent pass of the match, picking off Hammond. The full back overlapped sharply and crossed with the intention of finding Royle, but Phillips raced from his line to take the ball cleanly.
A long throw-in by Doyle found Booth, whose back-header looked dangerous. Harris came in quickly to head clear.
Hutchinson, another long throw specialist, put City under pressure. This time Booth headed clear from in front of goal. An even longer throw-in from Hutchinson reached the far post where Corrigan took the ball.
In the 20th minute, Hay missed a great chance of putting Chelsea ahead, Booth fouled Hutchinson on the edge of the penalty area and from Kember’s chip over the defensive wall, Hay found himself with only Corrigan to beat. The City goalkeeper rushed from his line and snatched the ball from Hay’s toes.
… In the 32nd minute City cut loose to snatch the lead with Hartford scoring his second goal of the season.
Tueart did the spadework, racing past two defenders before crossing to Hartford, who headed well wide of Phillips.
… Colin Bell should have made it two just before half-time, but he shot outside after Joe Royle had dummied over a Rodney Marsh cross.
HALF-TIME: Chelsea 0 Manchester City 1.
Royle did not come out for the second half and Barney Daniels took over.
… In the 59th minute Chelsea had a great chance to equalise, but unbelievably Houseman’s effort from the edge of the six yard area was deflected behind by Doyle.
It just about summed up a match which was at times a comedy of errors, most of them made by the depressing Chelsea side.
… Two minutes from the end Donachie kneed a Hutchinson header off the line following a Houseman corner…