CITY 3 DERBY COUNTY 2
League Division 1
4th December 1976
attendance 34,179
Scorers
City Kidd(37 & 78), Tueart(88)
Derby James(6 & 73)
Ref K Butcher
City Corrigan, Clements, Donachie, Doyle, Watson, Owen, Power, Kidd, Royle, Hartford, Tueart – sub Barnes(75)
Derby Boulton, Thomas, Newton, Macken, Daniel, Todd, Powell, Gemmill, Bourne, George, James – sub Webster
Brian Kidd finally opened his home league goal account, and, as the saying goes “you wait ages for one, and then two come along at once” as the City striker bagged a brace as part of a great comeback by The Blues.
Derby started well at a misty Maine Road and within six minutes they were ahead through a great goal by Leighton James, he cut in from the left and curled the ball in to the far corner of the net from the edge of the area.
It took a real goal poacher’s effort to equalise 8 minutes before half-time when Joe Royle headed down Donachie’s long ball into the area, and although Kidd looked second best to get to the ball he slid in and stabbed the ball over the line from six yards out.
Derby came out strong in the second half with Charlie George unlucky with a shot that hit the post, and Corrigan saved two more of his efforts, before George forced Dave Watson into miss-timing his header that fell to the feet of James, who made no mistake in grabbing his second goal, beating Corrigan from 8 yards out.
five minutes later Brian Kidd equalised again with an 18 yard free-kick, which was hit with some power along the ground and straight through the Ram’s wall and Boulton’s body to make it 2-2.
It was left to Dennis Tueart to score the goal of the game with two minutes left to seal both points for the Citizens: picking the ball up in his own half the Geordie genius knocke the ball out to the wing to Kidd, Tueart continued his run towards the box, Kidd crossed into the box, Royle deftly headed the ball back to the on-rushing Tueart who hit it first time on the half volley from 25 yards. As Gerald Sinstadt proclaimed “Beauty!”