CITY 2 CHELSEA 2
League Division 1
18th November 1961
attendance 16,583
scorers
City Kennedy(49), Barlow(82)
Chelsea Tambling(30), Bridges(47)
Ref R J Leafe
City Trautmann, Betts, Kennedy, Gommersall, Ewing, Colbridge, Oakes, Barlow, Dobing, Hannah, Wagstaffe
Chelsea Bonetti, Shillito, Butler, Malcolm, Scott, Bradbury, Murray, Tambling, Brabrook, Bridges, Blunstone
FROM THE PRESS BOX
Brian Crowther writing for The Guardian 20th November 1961
Chelsea, with both feet In the quick-sand at the bottom of the First Division, almost dragged Manchester City in with them at Moss Side on Saturday.
City struggled frantically and drew 2-2, but only eight minutes playing time remained when they managed to slip Chelsea’s grip and score an equalising goal through Barlow.
The teams left the field at half time to a storm of booing. Chelsea led 1-0 but the booing seemed impartial, a fair expression of opinion after a depressing first half, Chelsea bestirred themselves immediately added to their lead in the 47th minute. and continued playing rather the better football. City’s reaction was delayed until the last 20 minutes when, following Chelsea’s example, they kept the ball low and caused panic among Chelsea’s defenders
Spectators began a slow handclap after the first 15 minutes, and their criticism was unfair only to the goalkeepers and to Hannah and Wagstaffe on the one side and Malcolm and Blunstone on the other: the rest had earned displeasure. Chelsea relied to much on the short square pass, and only when Blunstone was involved did a movement make progress towards goal. City relied on energy and instinct, and both let them down.
Chelsea, because at least they had a method of sorts, deserved to take the lead in the 30th minute when Murray passed from the right wing to Tambling, who was unmarked. Tambling, who had been narrowly offside when he put the ball in the goal five minutes earlier, beat Trautmann with a side-footed shot. City tested Bonetti only once during the first half, the goalkeeper doing well to smother a hard low shot from Wagstaffe on the left wing.
Bradbrook played on the right wing for most of the second half and Chelsea‘s forward line began to move more purposefully in the second minute of the half Ewing attempted a clearance but the ball sped away obliquely, rebounded from Tambling’s body, and rolled to Bridges who took immediate advantage of the situation. This goal goaded Kennedy into inspiring a City revival. Within two minutes they had narrowed Chelsea’s lead. Hannah brought the ball as far as a phalanx of Chelsea defenders, wavered, and looked unhappily about him. He spotted Kennedy bearing down on goal and gratefully passed to him. Kennedys shot from 20 yards passed just inside a post.
In spite of this City were not yet convinced that the direct approach was best. Chelsea continued to show improved form and came near to scoring through Bridges and Tambling on several occasions. But City were encouraged when Ewing took a huge free kick from near the halfway line and Bonetti was just able to push the ball over the bar. City responded with a goal through Barlow from a mis-directed pass in the next minute. This late rally, however, appeared likely to be in vain when Murray had the ball in front of goal with only Trautmann to beat. But the responsibility of bringing Chelsea their first victory at Moss Side since the war proved too much for Murray.