BURNLEY 0 CITY 1
League Division 1
2nd March 1968
Attendance 23,486
Scorer Lee(65 pen)
Ref C Thomas
City Mulhearn, Book, Pardoe, Doyle, Heslop, Oakes, Lee, Bell, Summerbee, Young, Coleman – sub Bowles(unused)
Burnley Thomson, Ternent, Latcham, Todd, Waldron, Merrington, Morgan, Lochhead, Casper, O’Neil, Coates
FRANCIS LEE SMASHES THE BALL HOME FROM THE PENALTY SPOT
FROM THE PRESS BOX
MANCHESTER CITY COMPLETE A VAUABLE DOUBLE
Burnley, previously unbeaten in League matches at Turf Moor this season, deserved a better end to their reign than Saturday’s game. Manchester Clty were not disposed to overthrow them in the grand manner but played just well enough in the second half to earn their victory, 1-0.
Both sides played futile football before the interval, and if at that time Burnley seemed the more likely winners it was because they practised their futility mostly in the City half. The rare moments of skill came almost always from the wings. and the more often from Morgan and Coates. City were lucky then that Burnley were incapable of exploiting untidiness in defence.
Speed of thought and action characterised Citys play throughout a match until a few weeks ago Now they seem to possess it for only half an hour or so. They give the impression of having had a surfeit of football though they are better off than some other teams in that respect. What seems to be needed to bring them a place in Europe next season is some more high quality training to sharpen them, however painful the thought.
Bell, Summerbee. and Young have lost speed of leg, probably the chief factor in the falling away of their goalscoring ability. So too have Book and Oakes there is a suspicion of overweight about Pardoe who grows weekly more like Sam Barkas, which in most other respects has been no bad thing. Doyle had another fine game. Lee worked lnventively throughout and was the only City player to do so in the first half. He is showing form at the moment that seems closer to England class than Summerbee’s.
So too is Coleman who ls seldom lauded, When City forced five corners in quick succession towards the end of the game, Coleman put four of them over superbly, worrying Thomson but bringing no response from his own colleagues.
Merrington got the ball in the net for Burnley after about half an hour, confirming that his side was having the better of the first half. But the goal was refused presumably for a foul on Mulhearn. Burnley continued to adapt themselves the better to the slippery surface until half time. Immediately after the interval City began their vintage half hour, Bell improved and Summerbee began to make some impression on Waldron, and indeed on Merrington, who fouled him badly for a second time and was booked for it.
City’s supporters, many of whom had arrived late because a landslide on the line between Manchester and Burnley had caused delays in the rail services, were in better voIce than Burnley‘s. They now had the arrogance to declare themselves “the Champions.” “Huh!” replied the Bumley supporters, which was all the claim deserved.
The goal came in the 65th minute. Thomson rushed out of his goal to intercept Bell near the edge of the penalty area. Failing to get the ball he pulled Bell down with a low Rugby tackle, and there was no disputing the penalty. Lee put the ball into the left-hand corner of the net from the spot. Later Merrington hit the woodwork with a header, but this was balanced soon afterwards when Doyle did the same for City. Having beaten Burnley 4-2 at Maine Road, City thus completed a valuable double.
BRIAN CROWTHER WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 4TH MARCH 1968