CITY 1 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 3
League Division 1
9th April 1971
attendance 33,772
scorers
City Doyle(32)
Forest McKenzie(18 & 82), Jackson(52)
Ref G Kew
City Healey, Connor, Towers, Doyle, Book, Donachie, Jeffries, Bell, Lee, Young, Hill – used sub Book
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Forest Barron, Hindley, Winfield, Chapman, O’Kane, Fraser, Jackson, Richardson, Martin, McKenzie, Moore – sub Reeves
MIKE DOYLE SCORES CITY’S ONLY GOAL
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FROM THE PRESS BOX
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ERIC TODD WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 10TH APRIL 1971
Manchester City’s Easter Parade got away to a depressing start yesterday at Maine Road. And Malcolm Allison, chafing in enforced exile, may well content himself with writing a caustic letter to the men he left behind after their 3-1 defeat by Nottingham Forest.
It was an untidy game, and one which was of no major importance or significance to either side, although Forest now can look forward confidently to another season in the First Division. They did not need to play particularly well in order to beat a City side who occasionally created the impression that they regarded the whole business as a bit of a bore. Which alas is what we must expect at this stage of the season when either there is something to play for or there is not. City have their eyes fixed on the Cup Winners Cup, their League programme thus is merely a formality, a stepping stone to their summer vacation.
Manchester City’s Easter Parade got away to a depressing start yesterday at Maine Road. And Malcolm Allison, chafing in enforced exile, may well content himself with writing a caustic letter to the men he left behind after their 3-1 defeat by Nottingham Forest.
It was an untidy game, and one which was of no major importance or significance to either side, although Forest now can look forward confidently to another season in the First Division. They did not need to play particularly well in order to beat a City side who occasionally created the impression that they regarded the whole business as a bit of a bore. Which alas is what we must expect at this stage of the season when either there is something to play for or there is not. City have their eyes fixed on the Cup Winners Cup, their League programme thus is merely a formality, a stepping stone to their summer vacation.
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Which is not to suggest, of course, that they will not try, but it must be very hard to keep interested in bread and butter when there is caviar on the menu as well. Certainly City never showed the determination and enthusiasm which destroyed Everton a week ago, Towers, Connor, and the admirable Donachie looked as though they were enjoying themselves. The rest …
Forest at least did aim at some sort of consistency, and McKenzie, playing in only his second League game, had no equal in industry or output. Chapman and Fraser snuffed out easily the spasmodic bursts of Lee and Bell, and Hindley and Winfield patrolled the Forest penalty area with the keenness and tenacity of guard dogs, ironically, Moore, of whom so much had been expected, was quite inconspicuous. But so too were Bell and Lee. It just is not possible to be consistent as well as brilliant.
Forest at least did aim at some sort of consistency, and McKenzie, playing in only his second League game, had no equal in industry or output. Chapman and Fraser snuffed out easily the spasmodic bursts of Lee and Bell, and Hindley and Winfield patrolled the Forest penalty area with the keenness and tenacity of guard dogs, ironically, Moore, of whom so much had been expected, was quite inconspicuous. But so too were Bell and Lee. It just is not possible to be consistent as well as brilliant.
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Jeffries soon had to retire with ligament trouble, but this did not prevent some useful looking work by Lee, who tested Barron with a fine shot. Martin then wasted a great chance of putting Forest in front, but McKenzie did the neccessary in the 18th minute, although I doubt whether he knew too much about it. In fact it seemed that Book kicked the ball against McKenzie, off whom it rebounded into the net. In the 32nd minute, however, Doyle headed a good equaliser after a fine centre by Young.
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Early in the second half Bell rounded Barron and shot against O’Kane, who had droppped back. Jackson then delivered a high lob into the City penalty area where Richardson toe-ended the ball on to the crossbar. But in the 52nd minute, Jackson scored with a magnificent shot with his left foot into the far corner of the net. And 8 minutes from time, McKenzie beat Book in the air, and headed home a centre from the irrepressible Jackson.
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