CITY 2 COVENTRY CITY 0
League Division 1
18th December 1976
attendance 32,527
Scorers Kidd(20), Tueart(84)
Ref H Hackney
City Corrigan, Clements, Donachie, Doyle, Watson, Owen, Power, Kidd, Royle, Hartford, Tueart – sub Barnes(unused)
Coventry Blyth, Coop, McDonald, Yorath, Dugdale, Holmes, Beck, Wallace, Murphy, Powell, Hutchison – sub Craven
FROM THE PRESS BOX
KIDDO KEEPS UP THE GOAL RUSH
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS FOOTBALL PINK FINAL 18TH DECEMBER 1976
Brian Kidd was on the mark again, heading Manchester City into a 20th minute lead at Maine Road, his fourth goal in as many games.
It was the Blues’ reward for persistent, powerful attacking football as Coventry found themselves pressurised from the outset of a highly entertaining game.
Kidd’s goal was the result of a perfect link with fellow striker Joe Royle, who was at the near post to skilfully back-head an accurate Dennis Tueart corner.
Kidd again got the ball into the net 12 minutes later, but this time he was pulled up for offside, with Coventry clinging on grimley.
Coventry began with an enterprising approach with Hutchison moving along the centre line; but Wallace was outpaced by Doyle as they went for the ball down the right flank.
The City skipper hooked the ball into touch when Hutchison again threatened. Powell and Yorath were busy trying to pressurise the home side.
But the Blues strung together the first move of any conviction. Tueart and Kidd linked up on the right and Watson advanced to swing the ball into the middle. Royle headed down, but when Owen tried to exploit the advantage Dugdale snapped hungrily into the tackle to dispossess the City youngster before he could shoot.
… Owen sparked off City’s next move and Kidd’s flick on to Power looked useful, but Beck won the challenge.
… Tueart, receiving a clearance from Watson inside his own half went on a thrilling run past four defenders, but he could find no way round Holmes, and his only reward was a corner.
Tueart took it himself and Yorath powered a header fractionally wide of his own post.
But from the next corner City got the goal for which they had patiently waited and it was their twin strikers who broke the deadlock.
Tueart aimed his cross to the near post, Royle superbly back-headed it for Kidd to power over the line with an equally solid header.
Blyth got to the ball but such was the force of Kidd’s effort that the ball slipped through the goalkeeper’s hands and went over the line for his fourth goal in as many games.
A minute later Murphy shocked City with an effort that bounced off the top of the crossbar.
Royle hit back with a blistering drive that Blyth saved at the second attempt, leaving Coventry in a state of shock, for they were now coming under enormous pressure.
Half-time: Manchester City 1, Coventry City 0.
… Royle pinched the ball off Dugdale leaving another huge gap in the Coventry defence, which Royle exploited with a great pass to Kidd.
Kidd went round the goalkeeper on a clear run at goal but was clearly pushed by the goalkeeper and when he regained his feet after stumbling, the angle was to acute and Kidd’s drive went into the side netting, although he could justifiably have claimed a penalty.
The pressure was as fierce as ever as Tueart swung over a left wing corner and Doyle’s powerful header looked to be going over the line when Powell popped up to clear.
In the 70th minute City missed the best opportunity of all, when Tueart wasted a penalty. It was awarded after Holmes had pulled down Owen.
… With City goalkeeper Corrigan refusing to look at the other end, Tueart struck the spot kick against a post and it bounce harmlessly away, Tueart’s second penalty miss of the season.
In the 84th minute City got the second goal they so urgently needed, and Tueart was the scorer, making up for his earlier penalty miss.
Again Royle was the provider, robbing Dugdale just inside the Coventry half and moving easily down the left. He drew Coop and crossed to the unmarked Tueart, who ran into the penalty area before shooting past the oncoming Blyth.
