CITY 1 DERBY COUNTY 0
League Division 1
6th February 1974
attendance 22,845
scorer Bell(47)
City MacRae, Barrett, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Towers, Pardoe, Bell, Daniels, Oakes, Carrodus – sub Leman(unused)
Derby Boulton, Webster, Nish, Newton, McFarland, Daniel, Powell, Bourne, Davies, Hector, McGovern – sub Hinton(80)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
DEREK POTTER WRITING IN THE DAILY EXPRESS 7TH FEBRUARY 1974
Roy McFarland, England and Derby County centre half, almost lost a prestige battle in 45 minutes to “unknown” centre forward Barney Daniels last night.
Daniels, after being rejected by Manchester United and languishing in local football for several years, was signed for £1,000 by Manchester City.
And in a highly promising first half, Daniels, 22, should have celebrated his debut with two goals.
McFarland was one of the defenders Daniels bustled past at the end of a piercing 21st minute attack.
Daniels’ shot cannoned off the crossbar and flew safely away to spare McFarland the embarrassment of losing heavily on points.
A minute from half time, Daniels missed a gift chance set up by McFarland’s England colleague Colin Bell.
Daniels shot low and quickly when Bell squared the ball to him some 8 yards out, but goalkeeper Colin Boulton, a blur of arms and legs, was somehow able to scramble the ball away.
Derby were fragile in defence and limited in attack against the injury ravaged League Cup finalists, who were without Marsh, Law, Summerbee and Lee.
Derby’s frailties were finally exposed two minutes after the break, Frank Carrodus broke dangerously and bravely down Derby’s right flank and when his centre came out of defence , Alan Oakes hammered the ball back behind the “wall” for Colin Bell to run through and score with a finely angled drive.
This goal inspired Derby as much as it lifted City.
Ten minutes from time Alan Hinton replaced Jeff Bourne in Derby’s attack.
It made little difference, Hinton himself shooting just wide 7 minutes from the end.