CITY 2 BOLTON WANDERERS 1
League Division 1
3rd March 1979
Attendance 41,127
Scorers
City Channon(17) Owen(67 pen)
Bolton Worthington(75)
City Corrigan, Donachie, Power, Owen, Watson, Booth, Channon, Viljoen, Kidd, Hartford, Barnes – sub Henry(unused)
Bolton McDonagh, Nicholson, Dunne, Greaves, Jones, Walsh, Morgan, Burke, Gowling, Worthington, McNab – sub Whatmore(68)
PETER BARNES HEADS THE BALL INTO THE NET BUT IT’S RULED OFFSIDE
From ONE TO REMEMBER an article published in the City programme 4th November 1995
This game had the fans of both clubs talking about it for weeks. It contained highly controversial moments, and most neutrals agreed that Bolton were very unlucky to go home without some reward.
The Blues went into the match in 14th place while the Trotters were three places lower. The important thing as far as City were concerned was to boost confidence with a good performance four days before a UEFA Cup meeting with Borussia Moenchengladbach.
They would in any case be without Gary Owen, serving a European ban, and speculation was rife as to who would replace the talented youngster. The Bolton line-up contained former United players Tony Dunne, Willie Morgan and Alan Gowling, there was the magical Frank Worthington, who had something up his sleeve for the Blues on that particular day. And it wasn’t a rabbit. . . There was also Bolton’s major signing that season, Neil McNab, who had arrived the previous November for a club record fee of £250,000.
For City, Colin Viljoen returned fully-fit and improved the midfield no end.
It was the transfer-listed England star, Mike Channon, who opened the scoring. His goal came in the 17th minute after Bolton ‘keeper Jim McDonagh had conceded a corner in saving a Brian Kidd rocket. Asa Hartford shot at goal and the former Southampton man fastened on to the ball and flashed it into the net.
This heralded a purple patch for City, and a second was very nearly scored when Kidd found Viljoen, a beautifully weighted pass setting up the South African. Viljoen shot and although the ball was heading for safety across the bye- line, Owen raced in and was only a whisker away from scoring.
After 35 minutes, Bolton had a chance but wasted it as an unmarked Gowling collected the ball in acres of space. Looking suspiciously off-side, he took a pot shot which stretched Joe Corrigan, but Worthington had probably been in a better position.
Bolton had a let-off just before half-time when Peter Barnes had what seemed a good goal disallowed for off-side. Then, after the break, came the first controversial decision. McNab fouled Owen, no-one disputed that. It was where the foul was committed that was to be the issue.
Said McNab afterwards: “Gary was a yard outside the box when he went over my leg.” But Owen responded: “When I went down l was well inside the box.”
Take your pick, but the Bolton assistant manager, Stan Anderson, was furious. “Our lads are adamant that when Owen was tripped, he was outside the penalty area.” Anyway, the referee, after consulting a linesman, refused to alter the decision, and Owen himself took the penalty, placing his shot away to McDonagh’s right hand.
Yet Bolton were far from beaten. With a quarter-of-an-hour left, Worthington, running into space, received the ball and hit home a magnificent volley which had Corrigan beaten all ends up as it flew into the net via a post.
Later came controversy number two. With around ten minutes remaining, a Worthington shot appeared to be held momentarily by Paul Power. The entire Bolton team were convinced that a penalty would be given.
Not so. The referee was firm in his belief that the shot was “ball-to-hand” and that Power had no chance to get out of the way. Bolton’s view, as expressed later by Mr Anderson, was to the contrary: “The City lad handled so blatantly he was embarrassed about it.”
The final stages were an all-out assault by Wanderers. On came Neil Whatmore, and there was non-stop running, chasing and graft from the team, with Roy Greaves, McNab and Morgan outstanding.
But full credit to the Blues’ defence for withstanding the onslaught, and Tony Book was pleased with the overall display in preparation for that UEFA Cup-tie.
