CITY 3 ROTHERHAM UNITED 1
League Division 2
12th January 1966
Attendance 25,526
Scorers
City Crossan(38 pen), Doyle(70 & 85)
Rotherham Galley(53)
Ref K Howley
City Ogley, Kennedy, Sear, Doyle, Heslop, Oaken, Summerbee, Crossan, Pardoe, Brand, Young – Sub Cheetham
Rotherham Jones, Wilcockson, Clish, Rabjohn, Madden, Tiler, Lyons, Chappell, Galley, Hardy, Pring
A hard pitch made the game more difficult for both teams but the Yorkshire club mastered the conditions rather better; only their finishing let them down on occasions.
The game was fairly end-to-end for the first half-hour and the right-hand side of the United team looked outstanding – made up of full back Harold Wilcockson, wing half Chris Rabjohn and winger Barry Lyons, who later had an outstanding career with Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest.
Things changed after 37 minutes when City were awarded a penalty from which Johnny Crossan comfortably beat Rodney Jones. But centre forward John Galley secured an equaliser (53 minutes), a superb effort as he took a cross from the right, lobbed a defender twice while under pressure. then cracked the ball past Alan Ogley along the ground.
Mike Doyle – always good for a goal or two – was the City hero on the day, scoring the two goals which were to take the points.
The first was provided by Ralph Brand, who managed to shake off a challenge from Wilcockson and lob the ball high into the penalty area. In raced “Doyley” to head in from close range.
His second goal came courtesy of the other early Joe Mercer signing, Mike Summerbee. A throw-in from the right, Mike neatly backheaded it to Doyle and the score was 3-1.
The City matchwinner nearly got himself booked when he threw the ball over his shoulder and caught Jones, the ‘keeper reacting as though it had been an Exocet missile. The referee took a dim view of this, as he had with offences by Bobby Kennedy and United’s Brian Tiler, both of whom were cautioned.
ADAPTED FROM A JOHN MADDOCKS ARTICLE IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 17TH JANUARY 1996