HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1 CITY 0
League Division 1
10th April 1971
attendance 21,992
scorer Cherry(79)
Ref D Pugh
City Corrigan, Book, Connor, Doyle, Book, Donachie, Towers, Bell, Lee, Young, Hill – used sub Mann
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 12TH APRIL 1971
Manchester City’s burning ambition and single minded determination to cling to the Cup Winners’ Cup has been all to clearly revealed at League level where they have eased up to allow two of the First Divison’s less formidable teams to snatch Easter points.
In normal circumstances a side of City’s undoubted class and skill would have brushed aside the challenge of Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town.
But with a vital European clash now just 48 hours away anxious City appear to have conceded all else with the emphasis placed fair and square on the double semi-final date with Chelsea.
Though City’s performance at Huddersfield was a step up from the barrell-scaping display against Forest the previous day, they made it abundantly clear that full steam was not going to be achieved. The Blues soaked up enormous pressure from the lively Town side in at times virtual one way match, but on the occasions City snapped into action there was little aggression or conviction in their attacks.
Yet they still had the better chances to have won. Both Colin Bell and Francis Lee failed with excellent first-half openings, Lee’s error being particularly careless.
Thus all City’s heroes came in defence where David Connor, a veritible colossus since his return to first team activity at the height of the club’s injury crisis turned in another noble display.
Joe Corrigan, too did exceptionally well on his senior return, again in time of dire emergency, with his fine reflex save from Jimmy Nicholson, Town’s driving midfield inspiration, outstanding.
Tony Book, despite his desperate lunge to concede a free kick from which Jimmy Lawson crossed for Trevor Cherry to head the only goal after 79 minutes, is clearly finding his feet and form once more, but Willie Donachie, the teenager who has revealed quite staggering form since taking over from Alan Oakes, had his leanest game to date.
Huddersfield were naturally overjoyed at their victory, but I am sure manager Ian Greaves is wise enough to impress upon his team that this was not the real Manchester City they had beaten. And that but for the looming spectre of Europe, City’s match might not have been so easy for his non-stop runners.