CITY 1 COVENTRY CITY 0

League Division 2

19th February 1966

Attendance 40,190

Scorer Crossan(2)

Ref R Harper

City Dowd, Kennedy, Bacuzzi, Doyle, Heslop, Oakes, Summerbee, Crossan, Pardoe, Condor, Young – Sub Horne

Coventry Wesson, Kearns, Harris, Bruck, Curtis, Farmer, Rees, Pointer, Hudson, Roberts, Clements – Sub Hale .

Promotion matters were on the agenda when two City teams met at Maine Road … Manchester in top spot in the Second Division with Coventry just one point behind.
Unbeaten since early December, the home side really had their tails up and were brimful of confidence that afternoon. It took just two minutes to unlock Coventry’s defence, and what an excellent five-man move it was.
Right back Bobby Kennedy swiftly placed a free kick into the path of Mike Summerbee, who promptly played it back to him. Kennedy then opted for Route Two with a ball into the middle to find an unmarked Glyn Pardoe. The Winsford-born youngster spotted Mike Doyle coming forward and pushed the ball into the space. Doyle then turned it to Johnny Crossan and the Irishman went up to Bob Wesson before slipping his shot past the ‘keeper.
That was it as far as the goal-scoring was concerned, but City’s football in that half was inspired, with Crossan the architect-in-chief. Coventry, though, had worked hard to get to third place and their wing halves, Dietmar Bruck and Ron Farmer, began to shackle the home forwards.
Ronnie Rees had two good shots blocked by Manchester defenders and then Dudley Roberts sprinted through a gap, only to gently lob the ball into Harry Dowd’s arms.
Summerbee almost made it two in the second half, but his effort was cleared off the line by Farmer. Heavy mud from a churned-up pitch then took its toll and the sparkle left the game. No matter, it was two more precious points towards promotion.
ADAPTED FROM AN ARTICLE BY JOHN MADDOOCKS FROM THE CITY PROGRAMME 14TH FEBRUARY 1996