CITY 2 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1
League Division 1
22nd November 1975
attendance 31,456
scorers
City Tueart(55), Oakes(77)
Chelsea Osgood(88)
Ref R Perkin
City Corrigan, Clements, Donachie, Doyle, Watson, Oakes, Barnes, Power, Royle, Hartford, Tueart – sub Keegan(unused)
Tottenham Jennings, Naylor, McAllister, Pratt, Young, Osgood, Coates, Perryman, Duncan, Jones, Neighbour – sub Conn(74)
Alan Oakes smashes home the winner
The signs for a home meeting with Tottenham were that it would in all probability turn out to be classic.
City went into the game not having lost any of their previous 12 and the goals were flowing well. Spurs were equally successful, with an unbeaten spell of I I matches, and had climbed up the table after a poor start.
During the first half the play from flowed from end-to-end. Negative, stifling tactics were out as the players tackled well in both defences and then went away intent on a worthwhile attempt on the opponents’ goal.
Spurs’ defensive wall of Terry Naylor, Willie Young and Don McAllister proved to be a difficult one to breach despite the skills of Asa Hartford, Dennis Tueart and the emerging Peter Barnes. And Dave Watson, Mike Doyle and Willie Donachie were as impenetrable in the City defence.
Forty-five minutes had passed before a flash of magic from Tueart put the Blues ahead. Once the home side had their noses in front, they seemed to move up a gear, and Tottenham were caught napping after 77 minutes.
The man who did the damage was City’s Mr Dependable, wing half Alan Oakes, who gained possession and saw a gap in the Spurs rearguard. He took a couple of steps and let fly, giving Pat Jennings no chance.
But Spurs weren’t finished. They threw everything into attack and gained some crumb of comfort through Keith Osgood. Jimmy Neighbour provided him with the chance from 35 yards’ range and the ball flew wide of a startled Joe Corrigan.
The rally was too late, though, as the Blues hung on to end the unbeaten Tottenham run and to extend their own.
ADAPTED FROM AN ARTICLE BY JOHN MADDOCKS IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 22ND NOVEMBER 1995
