SHEFFIELD UNITED 0 CITY 3
League Division 1
20th January 1968
attendance 32,142
scorers Bell(41), Lee(75 pen), Doyle(89)
Ref D Lyden
City Mulhearn, Book, Pardoe, Doyle, Heslop, Oakes, Lee, Bell, Summerbee, Young, Coleman – used sub Connor
Sheffield United Hodgkinson, Badger, Munks, Fenoughty, Mallender, Wagstaff, Woodward, Carlin, Hill, Addison, Buckley – Sub Matthewson(unused)
COLIN BELL, FRANCIS LEE AND MIKE DOYLE SCORE CITY’S GOALS
FROM THE PRESS BOX
Manchester City were given a far tougher scrap than that 3-0 winning margin over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane might suggest.
In fact it was a 56th minute penalty miss by The Blades’ Alan Woodward that eventually paved the way to City’s second double of the season with another fine away win keeping them abreast in that select First Division breakaway group.
For a goal at that point could quite easily have shattered a City side who had been on the receiving end of a 15 minute pounding as they desperately clung to the 41st minute lead Colin Bell had given them with a superb 25 yard shot.
Panic and alarm spread through the entire defence and not until awarded a penalty themselves did City find both points firmly within their grasp.
Francis Lee showed how a spot kick should be taken and the Blues’ third goal was a token effort as a shot from Mike Doyle dipped into the net a minute from the end.
There was no doubting City’s superiority, especially in a brilliant first half when they could quite easily have accumulated a five goal lead. And that is no understatement.
Bell’s welcome return after injury gave the side added power and drive, while Alan Oakes and Mike Doyle kept the midfield powerhouse ticking.
United newcomer Pat Buckley, in his home debut, and the busy Willie Carlin gave City’s defence plenty to think about, but they weathered Sheffield’s fiery second half storm, although a little ungracefully at times.
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 22ND JANUARY 1968
