CITY 1 ARSENAL 2
League Division 1
10th November 1973
attendance 31,041
scorers
City Lee(82)
Arsenal Kelly(10), Hornsby(24)
Ref Edward Wallace
City MacRae, Pardoe, Donachie, Lester, Booth, Oakes, Summerbee, Bell, Law, Lee, Carrodus – sub Leman
Arsenal Wilson, Rice, McNabb, Storey, Simpson, Kelly, Ball, George, Hornsby, Kennedy, Armstrong – sub Powling(unused)
Apart from the last ten minutes of this game between two teams who’s title aspirations have faded, City were quite muted in their approach, whereas Arsenal, who’d only won one of their last five matches, were buoyed by a great display by Alan Ball who significantly was returning from injury after missing those previous five matches.
His confidence in midfield mirrored by his comments after the game; “… this game proved to me that we are still capable of beating anybody and everybody… We knocked that ball around better than ant foreigners. We were different class.” Tony Book more or less agreed; “They are the best team I have seen here for a long time. Their coach, Bobby Campbell, has really got them going.”
Colin Bell was City’s best player but wasn’t helped by the lacklustre performances around him. In addition, Mike Lester, making his debut, was resolute and solid at the back.
As for the goals, the Gunners went ahead after just ten minutes, when Kelly crashed in a shot from 25 yards. Then before the half hour it was virtually over as Hornsby scored Arsenal’s second.
With less than ten minutes left Francis Lee’s cracking goal from a 25 yard free kick seemed to ignite a spark within the Blues, but despite Lee going close with another shot it was all too little, too late.