CITY 0 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 0
League Division 1
16th October 1976
attendance 40,751
Ref K Burns
City Corrigan, Clements, Donachie, Doyle, Watson, Owen, Power, Kidd, Royle, Hartford, Tueart – sub Lester(72)
QPR Parkes, Clement, Gillard, Hollins, McLintock, Webb, Thomas, Kelly, Massen, Bowles, Givens – sub Eastoe(70)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
BLAME THE EXPERTS
England winger Dennis Tueart had an explanation for the mystery that left the nerve ends of 40,000 fans twitching…Why did the gusher of goals that should have spouted from two of the league’s most creative sides dry up?
The answer, obviously, had a lot to do with the superb anticipation and instant reaction of Rangers’ big ‘keeper Phil Parkes. And the fans must be still wondering how seasoned pros like Tueart and Rangers’ Don Masson can fail, as each did with penalties on either side of the interval, to pot the ball from 12 yards.
But the overall explanation, according to City’s incisive little attacker, was simply the know-how of the two defences. “Sure the finshing looked bad. But those defenders are past masters at closing down quickly on forwards” reasoned Tueart. “They have so much know-how they simply don’t allow opponents to settle”.
Ironically, Tuearts spot kick menace should have been honed by a special midweek session with ‘keeper Joe Corrigan. “We hadn’t had a previous penalty all season, so I’d thought I’d better brush up, unfortunately I dragged this one a couple of inches outside the post” said Dennis.
At least Tueart’s attempt to penalise a trip on Paul Power just after the break was closer than that of Masson.
His effort was still zooming towards the topmost seats when it cleared the bar.
City saw this appalling mishit as instant justice after Mike Doyle had been punished for checking Don Givens outside the box. The City skipper, like me, thought referee Ken Burns was merely atoning for ignoring a blatant foot up offence by Corrigan a minute earlier.
But the arguments would have been even more academic if Parkes hadn’t emerged from the fireworks at the other end so coolly.
JOHN BEAN WRITING FOR THE DAILY MIRROR 18TH OCTOBER 1976
