NOTTINGHAM FOREST 0 CITY 1

League Division 1

12th September 1970

Attendance 28,896

scorer Doyle

Ref H Williams

City Corrigan, Book, Pardoe, Doyle, Booth, Oakes, Summerbee, Bell, Lee, Young, Towers – Sub Hill(unused)

City’s great start to the season was definitely more down to their great defensive displays rather than their offensive players who haven’t quite hit top form yet. This was the Blues fifth clean sheet in their opening seven league games and they weren’t really tested by a poor Forest side, indeed City also didn’t really cause the East Midland’s side many problems.
Cyril Chapman writing in the Guardian wrote “Mainly because of indecisive work in midfield, the afternoon lacked symmetry. The Nottingham forwards had scant encouragement from Newton or Rees as they struggled to find a way into the Manchester defence… And with Bell apparently feeling the affects of a heavy tackle in the first minute, City could not take proper command either.
Lacking clear-cut directions the teams were often as confused as amateur removers struggling to hoist a wardrobe up a narrow staircase…”
The goal probably didn’t belong in this game. Tony Book surging forward could have swung the ball into the box, instead he passed it inside to Mike Doyle, who had left his defensive duties, then he unleashed a tremendous 30 yard swerving shot into the the Forest net and the two points were returning to Maine Road.