TOMMY BOOTH HEADS IN THE ONLY GOAL OF THE GAME
Manchester City launched their £400,000 all international attack against Chelsea at Maine Road, and won with a goal scored by a defender who cost nothing! However that is no indictment of a brilliant forward line which made this a match to remember.
Tommy Booth stretched City’s First Division lead to five points with is 25th minute headed winner in a fine game where the skills of two talented sides was a fair exchange for the magnificent 53,322 turnout for Rodney Marsh’s debut.
Yet the real match winners were City’s front runners, with Mike Summerbee the most impressive of all. Summerbee had a marvelous match with his fire, aggression and, yes, his arrogance.
It was heartening, also, to see Colin Bell revealing the flow and drive he has lacked in recent weeks, while Francis Lee never shirked the responsibility of taking on and beating defenders.
The effort of Wyn Davies rarely flagged, particularly in a thrilling first half when the football was at its finest,
And Marsh? So he didn’t set football on fire. But what he did, again in the first half, was an appetiser for better things to come. As team manager Malcolm Allison said “He is still 30% below our standard of fitness, it will be perhaps next season before you see him in full flight.” But Allison is sure of one thing, Marsh will be among the goals in City’s remaining eight games. He could have had two maybe three against a Chelsea side who came back well in the second half.
Rodney Marsh is subbed after suffering cramp
