CITY 0 LEEDS UNITED 2
League Division 1
30th January 1971
attendance 43,517
scorers Clarke(12), Charlton(28),
Ref Kevin Howley
City Corrigan, Book, Mann, Doyle, Booth, Oakes, Heslop, Bell, Lee, Carrodus, Jeffries – sub Bowyer(45)
Leeds Sprake, Reaney, Cooper, Bates, Charlton, Hunter, Madeley, Clarke, Jones, Giles, Yorath – sub Belfitt(75)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 1st February 1971
Professionals are ruthless, demanding men who will pounce and punish at the first sign of weakness. In soccer they don’t come any more professional than Leeds United.
That was the big difference between two great teams in a fine match at Maine Road.
For all their eagerness and endeavour Manchester City were punished where it hurts most, in front of goal.
Joe Corrigan twice dropped and Allan Clarke and Jack Charlton stepped in to score the match-winning goals. In the delightful words of Joe Mercer; “Gary Sprake dropped it more times than Colin Cowdrey” yet Leeds still survived.
Why? Because Leeds are more ruthless in the pursuit of goals and points, more demanding at the back in offering cover for all situations.
Corrigan shouldered the blame for the first, saying he should have held Terry Cooper’s initial shot. But surely the City keeper deserved a little more support.
However, City still contrived to make a brave fight of a match that was marred by some controversial refereeing. They deserved at least one penalty and were desperately unlucky that Kevin Howley whistled up so quickly when Francis Lee drove in what would have been an equalising goal.
Fifteen minutes later the match was virtually all over when Charlton hit the second after Corrigan had again only partially scrambled clear a menacing left wing corner from Johnny Giles.
There was a brave late rally by City with Colin Bell forcing them to stretch at the back and Lee was always in the thick of the fight.
City were rarely able to exert the midfield command and authority they had shown at Chelsea, although they did look a more forceful side when flinging Alan Oakes and Mike Doyle forward in that late bid to try and salvage the game.
