LEICESTER CITY 4 CITY 3
FA Cup 4th Round Replay
19th February 1968
Attendance 39,107
Scorers
City Lee(6 pen), Summerbee(24), Bell(88)
Leicester Fern(44), Large(48 & 63), Nish(57)
Ref G McCabe
City Mulhearn, Book, Pardoe, Doyle, Heslop, Oakes, Lee, Bell, Summerbee, Young, Coleman - sub Connor(unused)
Leicester Shilton, Rodrigues, Bell, Roberts, Cross, Sjoberg, Fern, Nish, Large, Stringfellow, Gibson
FROM THE PRESS BOX
LEICESTER BRAVES HIT BACK HARD
The battling braves of Leicester, led by lionhearted Frank Large, wrested this fourth round cup replay out of the grasp of polished Manchester City in the last minute of the first half and never let go. In a period of 18 minutes they scored four times to make nonsense of Manchester's quite decisive first half dominance. It was the most remarkable turn-round I have seen this season and the man who did most to achieve it was Large, the 27 year old centre forward who had been plodding his way round the Third Division circuit for nine years before Leicester snapped him up for £18,000 this season. If ever there was a proof that the most vital man on a soccer field today is the courageous striker up front, this was it. Leicester got the best bargain of all. Many clubs pay £100,000 for such a performer. A crowd of 39,102 saw Leicester become the third successive Midland club to be drawn against Tommy Docherty's Rotherham, who have already conquered Wolves and Aston Villa. On the strength of this fighting display, Leicester should have little trouble at Millmoor. They are just the strong type of side who can put Docherty's striving youngsters in their place. Leicester's uncompromising centre half, John Sjoberg, presented Manchester with the lead on a plate in the sixth minute. Winger Francis Lee beat him neatly and the big centre half immediately brought down winger, the clearest of penalties, which Lee himself duly converted. Though the Manchester attackers regularly fell into Leicester's offside trap, they were a constant menace with Colin Bell and Lee continually teeing the ball up for Mike Summerbee. Leicester for their part, preferred the bludgeon method of attack and Large was constantly challenging goalkeeper Ken Mulhearn to high balls lobbed into the middle. But their best scoring effort came from skipper Bobby Roberts who volleyed powerfully from 25 yards only to see the ball land firmly in the hands of Mulhearn. Manchester went two ahead in 24 minutes. Colin Bell sent Summerbee away. Goalkeeper Peter Shilton came obliquely out to challenge. The centre forward evaded Shilton's clutching hands took the ball to the by-line and drove delicately from a narrow angle into the net. Leicester came more into the game. Mike Summerbee missed an easy chance and full back Willie Bell had an expert close-range header held by the Manchester goalkeeper. World Cup referee George McCabe took Graham Cross's name in the 38th minute, the second time he had been booked in the tie. This started a series of ill-tempered fouls, which Mr McCabe seemed to do little to stop. Leicester's dramatic comeback started in the last minute of the half. A high ball into the Manchester goalmouth went to Large's head. He nodded it back to Roy Fern who volleyed in from near the edge of the box. Three minutes from the restart Leicester drew level. Fern had a shot charged down from Gibson's corner and Large nipped in to push the ball past Mulhearn. Leicester got their third in a period of 12 minutes to go ahead. David Nish was the 57th minute scorer with Stringfellow's aid. The game had turned round completely. Leicester, raging up the field like tigers threatened the Manchester goal again and again. First Stringfellow was brought down by Book and Robert's free kick from the edge of the area was beaten out by Mulhearn for a corner. A few minutes later he pushed a header from Large round the post and from Fern's resulting corner kick Large this time made no mistake with his head to put Leicester 4-2 up in 63 minutes. In the 88th minute Manchester scored their third through Colin Bell and Shilton was required to make a daring save in the last minute. GRON WILLIAMS WRITING IN THE BIRMINGHAM POST 20TH FEBRUARY 1968