BRISTOL CITY 1 CITY 1
League Division 2
5th February 1966
Attendance 25,723
Scorers
City Young(10)
Bristol Clark(26)
Ref Eric Jennings
City Dowd, Kennedy, Sear, Doyle, Heslop; Oakes, Summerbee, Crossan, Pardoe, Young, Connor – Sub Bacuzzi(unused)
Bristol Gibson, Ford, Briggs, Drury, Connor, Low, Savino, Atyeo, Derrick, Clark, Peters – Sub Showell
FROM A ‘MEMORABLE MATCH’ BY PETER GARDNER, PUBLISHED IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 11TH SEPTEMBER 1976
The date was February 5, 1966. The venue, Ashton Gate, when the West Country side had their biggest attendance in years for the meeting of promotion rivals. And Allison? Leaping from his touchline seat, he was still allowed there in those days, inevitably disputing a refereeing decision by Eric Jennings, City’s assistant chief considered one of his players had been impeded in the penalty area and spot kick should be given.
But big Mal had to quickly duck back for cover as his protests were greeted by a hail of pebbles from the crowd. He was also hit smack in the eye by a tomato. “It was, proclaimed Allison in majestic manner afterwards, “the best shot of the match.”
Nevertheless, he was still highly satisfied at a point from one of the few remaining tough away games that stood between City and promotion back to the First Division at that stage of the season.
A point at Bristol gave the Blues 38 from 28 games…
The atmosphere was electric at the outset as the Blues tore into the homeside, who had lost only one League game since October 9 that season. And there was an early pay-off with a typical goal from Neil Young. Mike Summerbee moved into the centre forward position as City stormed forward in the eighth minute. He quickly switched the ball to Young, whose elegant left foot blasted in a fast rising shot that gave the goalkeeper no chance. First blood to the Blues, but Bristol were by no means finished.
However, the home side suffered again two minutes later when Jack Connor, who had been troubled by a midweek ankle injury, limped off and had to be replaced by George Showell, summer signing from Wolves. It meant Bristol boss Fred Ford’s gamble in playing Connor had failed.
But Bristol hit back hard and Harry Dowd had to scramble a couple of efforts off the line. When the City goalkeeper was beaten Alan Oakes cleared at the expense of a corner and then Cliff Sear, one time Welsh international and now Chester assistant boss, headed off the line from John Atyeo.
City were looking the more composed and superior side, but Bristol were creating the better chances. And it was from a Ray Savino corner in the 27th minute that Brian Clark got up well to head the equaliser.
At the other end Mike Doyle, the only survivor from that game ten years ago, had an effort saved by Gibson while Bristol’s reply was another flashing header from Clark superbly kept out by Dowd.
Both individually and collectively the Blues were the better side that day when Glyn Pardoe emerged as a first class midfield player. Young, Summerbee and George Heslop also gave first class performances in a match memorable for much fine football, and the stoning of Malcolm Allison!
Manchester City showed they were quite clearly the best side in the Second Division in a 1-1 draw at Bristol City, but their West Country opponents did enough to suggest that come the end of the season, they might well accompany the Blues into the top flight. Both teams played first-class football involving some fine wing play.
In pure technique and midfield method, the Manchester side had the edge, but like so many others that season, they had a stiff task breaking down a superblyorganised Bristol defence.
Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison had thought hard and long before the game and came up with a plan which they thought would swing the result our way.
The idea was to mark Gordon Low tightly – and it worked. The long passes that suited strikers John Atyeo and Brian Clark were cut off and they never had the service they depended upon.
The Blues took the lead after just ten minutes. Mike Summerbee worked his magic out on the right wing and found Neil Young, unmarked in the centre, to score with a cracking shot.
Seconds later the home team lost their pivot, Jack Connor, with a pulled thigh muscle and he was replaced by the former Wolves player, George Showell.
Play swung from end to end with the Bristol defence continually playing their way out of trouble, though they did concede no fewer than 20 corners in all. Our defence also had to be on its collective toes to deal with the long, high balls pumped in from the wings.
The Bristol equaliser arrived after 26 minutes when Ray Savino put in a cross from the right and Clark headed past Harry Dowd.
ADAPTED FROM AN ARTICLE BY JOHN MADDOCKS IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 3RD FEBRUARY 1996