CITY 0 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 0
League Division 1
11th April 1978
Attendance 43,428
Ref A Hamill
City Corrigan, Clements, Power, Doyle, Watson, Owen, Channon, Booth, Kidd, Hartford, Barnes – sub Palmer(unused)
Forest Shilton, Anderson, Barrett, O’Hare, Lloyd, Burns, O’Neill, Gemmill, Wythe, Woodcock, Robertson
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 12TH APRIL 1978
Manchester City scaled two rungs back up the ladder in the determined pursuit od a Europe place once more.
However, it was a point lost rather than one won in the Maine Road goalless draw with champions-elect Nottingham Forest last night.
The runaway leaders got what they came for, the draw that now leaves them within a sight of three winning post for their first ever title success.
Brian Clough and company need just five points from seven games to make that dream reality.
But there can be no denying Forest have gone off the boil since streaking so far ahead in the First Division that the outcome is now of purely academic interest.
City dominated much of the match, the second half particularly, yet never seriously troubled Peter Shilton.
… Chances were few and far between for either side in a defence-dominated match, although it was the Blues who created the best one of all.
Tommy Booth headed an Asa Hartford free kick across the face of the penalty area and Brian Kidd, back after a two-game injury absence, volleyed the ball narrowley over the bar.
Kidd batled bravely but lacking sufficient support could never get the better of either Larry Lloyd or the careless Burns.
Mike Channon was unable to make an impression either and Peter Barnes rarely, if ever, had the better of the crisp tackling Viv Anderson
The outcome was stalemate in one of two games Forest feared most of all in their gallant bid to top the First Division, the other is still to come at Anfield although by then the race will be over.
Gary Owen, Hartford and Booth gradually grasped midfield command after we had seen the best of Forest in the first half. Tony Woodcock was denied a blatant penalty following a trip by Kennuy Clements that was even more obvious that the Phil Thompson foul which ultimately won the Nottingham side the League Cup.
However, the penalty score should have been 1-1. Channon, too, was floored by Lloyd for an almost equally clear spot kick again denied by lenient Wolverhampton referee Alex Hamil, whose only serious act was to book Mike Doyle for a string of fouls on the dangerous Woodcock.
But Doyle kept a firm grip on Woodcock through out and with Dave Watson playing Peter Withe out of the match, Forest were never a serious menace
But, for me, City’s heroes were full-backs Kenny Clements anc Paul Power, last minute stand in for injured Willie Donachie.
Clements kept as tighter rein on John Robertson as Anderson did on Barnes, while Power overlapped intelligently as City carried the game to Forest in the second half.