SUNDERLAND 4 CITY 5
.
League Division 1
.
29th August 1953
.
Attendance 49,434
.
Scorers
City Hart 2, Whitfield, Clarke, Anders
Sunderland ???
City Hart 2, Whitfield, Clarke, Anders
Sunderland ???
.
City Trautmann, Branagan, Little, Revie, Ewing, Paul, Anders, Hart, Whitfield, Spurdle, Clarke
.
Sunderland Cowan, Stelling, Hedley, Aitken, Daniel, A Wright, T Wright, Kirtley, Ford, Shackleton, McSeveney
.
.
‘DO YOU REMEMBER’ An article by Eric Todd from The City programme 24th February 1973
MANCHESTER CITY, who escaped being relegated only by the skin of their teeth in 1953, began the following season seemingly still in a state of acute shock. They lost their first three matches against Sheffield Wednesday, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Aston Villa during which period they conceded nine goals and did not score themselves. Local newspapers invited readers to suggest remedies, the results were illuminating and ignored, but City dropped Ivor Broadis, and travelled to Roker Park more in hope than confidence to meet Sunderland whose team, even without Billy Elliott, cost nearly £140,000 to build.
City began badly, and Sunderland were annoyed when the referee refused to award a penalty for hands by Ewing. But they were compensated after ten minutes when Shackleton put them in front with a fine goal. City’s defenders looked anything but secure against the rampaging Ford and the wily Shackleton. Then at long last, inspiration descended on City.
Anders won a corner and Revie passed to Hart who scored City’s first goal of the season. Whitfield put them in front after a pass from Hart, and shortly before half time, Hart headed a brilliant third goal from a centre by Anders. A magnificent recovery indeed.
Sunderland, nevertheless, were not finished and they fought back with as much spirit as City had shown before half time Tommy Wright scored their second in the 58th minute, and a minute later, Arthur Wright equalised. So City once more had a battle on their hands and when Clarke was injured, the prospects became really bleak.
But City persevered and in the 76th minute, Anders put them in the lead again. The rejoicing was short lived, and his team mates had a few unkind things to say when Branagan put the ball past his own goalkeeper. Only nine minutes remained when Clarke scored the final goal, and City hung on gamely to the finish. Both teams were cheered off the field, and rightly so.
MANCHESTER CITY, who escaped being relegated only by the skin of their teeth in 1953, began the following season seemingly still in a state of acute shock. They lost their first three matches against Sheffield Wednesday, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Aston Villa during which period they conceded nine goals and did not score themselves. Local newspapers invited readers to suggest remedies, the results were illuminating and ignored, but City dropped Ivor Broadis, and travelled to Roker Park more in hope than confidence to meet Sunderland whose team, even without Billy Elliott, cost nearly £140,000 to build.
City began badly, and Sunderland were annoyed when the referee refused to award a penalty for hands by Ewing. But they were compensated after ten minutes when Shackleton put them in front with a fine goal. City’s defenders looked anything but secure against the rampaging Ford and the wily Shackleton. Then at long last, inspiration descended on City.
Anders won a corner and Revie passed to Hart who scored City’s first goal of the season. Whitfield put them in front after a pass from Hart, and shortly before half time, Hart headed a brilliant third goal from a centre by Anders. A magnificent recovery indeed.
Sunderland, nevertheless, were not finished and they fought back with as much spirit as City had shown before half time Tommy Wright scored their second in the 58th minute, and a minute later, Arthur Wright equalised. So City once more had a battle on their hands and when Clarke was injured, the prospects became really bleak.
But City persevered and in the 76th minute, Anders put them in the lead again. The rejoicing was short lived, and his team mates had a few unkind things to say when Branagan put the ball past his own goalkeeper. Only nine minutes remained when Clarke scored the final goal, and City hung on gamely to the finish. Both teams were cheered off the field, and rightly so.
