EVERTON 2 CITY 2
League Division 1
5th October 1976
attendance 31,370
Scorers
City Hartford(35), Power(74)
Everton Dobson(16), King(73)
Ref N Ashley
City Corrigan, Clements, Donachie, Doyle, Watson, Owen, Power, Kidd, Royle, Hartford, Tueart – sub Keegan(unused)
Everton Davies, Jones, Higgins, Lyons, McNaught, Hamilton, King, Dobson, Latchford, Goodlass, Telfer
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 6TH OCTOBER 1976
Manchester City’s best performance of the season was reserved for the night they went to the top of the First Division, and on their Goodison Park form they deserve to stay there.
The Blues twice superbly clawed back to draw 2-2 with Everton in a game that could well signal their arrival as serious title contenders.
In fact victory was not out of the question, for a Dennis Tueart thunderbolt smashed back into play off a post at a stage when City had the Merseysiders on the run.
It was a chance created by Brian Kidd, the man who made the goals for Asa Hartford and Paul Power, as City at last found a balance and blend which has been missing all season.
Kidd, the £100,000 Striker bought from Arsenal in the summer to increase the flow of goals, has failed to hit the First Division target himself. But he has more than compensated as chance maker, as his perfectly weighted cross from the left for Hartford’s gliding header proved.
It was a goal that stunned the home side who threatened to swamp City, after Martin Dobson had given them an early lead.
However, the Blues once more revealed the sterling character that has seen them unbeaten in four away matches this season. They patched up gaps at the rear, carrying the fight to Everton with the outcome a sizzling game that saw City finish well on top.
Hartford and Owen continued where they had left off against West Ham on Saturday, providing that vital spark of imagination so badly missing earlier in the campaign.
Power, too, filled in on the left to give manager Tony Book a more balanced side that could well maintain a championship challenge.
Doyle and Dave Watson defended magnificently against the always dangerous Bob Latchford, while Willie Donachie and Ken Clements kept Everton quiet on the flanks.
Dennis Tueart also revealed refreshing urgency, dazzling Everton with his skill on the ball so much that Goodison boss Billy Bingham made the telling remark afterwards: “If Tueart had been in our side we would have won. That was the difference between the teams.”