CITY 1 CHELSEA 1
League Division 1
17th April 1971
attendance 26,120
scorers
City Lee(80)
Chelsea Weller(56)
Ref D Lyden
City Corrigan, Book, Connor, Towers, Booth, Donachie, Johnson, Carter, Lee, Young, Mann – sub Hill(60)
Chelsea Phillips, Harris, McCreadie, Hollins, Dempsey, Webb, Weller, Smethurst, Baldwin, Boyle, Houseman – sub Droy(65)
The managers and players of both City and Chelsea neither wanted to play out this dour draw ahead of the real deal in eleven days time, when both teams will surely play with more passion and skill in the second leg of the Cup Winners’ Cup semi-final.
Indeed the small Maine Road crowd of less than 27,000, also seemed to have their minds on the upcoming European tie, and struggled to bring any atmosphere to the match.
For the record, after Keith Weller put Chelsea ahead after the break. Francis Lee controversially headed in City’s equaliser ten minutes from time. It was plain to see that Lee had pushed Ron Harris to the ground before he dispatched the goal, however referee Mr Lyden didn’t seem to see the incident. Joe Mercer commenting on the goal after the game said: “We can admit these things afterwards, but frankly it’s about time the breaks started going our way.”
Indeed the small Maine Road crowd of less than 27,000, also seemed to have their minds on the upcoming European tie, and struggled to bring any atmosphere to the match.
For the record, after Keith Weller put Chelsea ahead after the break. Francis Lee controversially headed in City’s equaliser ten minutes from time. It was plain to see that Lee had pushed Ron Harris to the ground before he dispatched the goal, however referee Mr Lyden didn’t seem to see the incident. Joe Mercer commenting on the goal after the game said: “We can admit these things afterwards, but frankly it’s about time the breaks started going our way.”