Manchester City v Nottingham Forest 1969/70

CITY 1 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1

League Division 1

7th February 1970

attendance 27,077

scorers
City Doyle(15)
Forest Hilley(83)

Ref M Sinclair

City Mulhearn, Book, Mann, Doyle, Booth, Oakes, Bowles, Bell, Lee, Young, Bowyer – sub Donachie(35)

Forest Hill, Hindley, Winfield, Chapman, O’Kane, Newton, Lyons, Richardson, Ingram, Hilley, Moore – sub Barnwell(5)

FROM THE PRESS BOX

There was more than a suspicion on Saturday at Maine Road that Manchester City are coming out of their personal doghouse. They could manage only a draw, 1-1. against Nottingham Forest. but the manner of their early play on a dreadfully sodden pitch suggested that they are regaining their form In ideal time for The League Cup final on March 7. And in Mann they have a player capable of challenging for any of the midfield roles.
Up to the thirty fifth minute. when Book crocked his left ankle, City looked to be heading for their first win since December 6, but eventually found the combined load of absent friends (Summerbee, Pardoe. and later Book). a pitch unsympathetic to their speedy style. and a magnficently organised Forest side (who lost Moore with an ankle injury after five minutes) just too much to hold and surrendered their lead with only seven minutes left.

Simply, Book inspired City in the first half and they missed him in the second, He prompted Bell to ore purposive work than he’s put in for a long time and added his hunched frame to the attack so freely that Young, Bowles, and Lee saw as much of the ball as they could wish. Doyle, hard but painstaking; in his defensive coverage, matched Book, and went one better in giving them the lead in the fifteenth minute, ramming a pass from Bowles through Hill’s legs.

Hill saved from Bell and Bowles had a drive hurried away before Book was hurt in collision with Hill. Donachie replaced him for most of the second half in which, aside from a couple of saves by Hill from Young, and a brilliant interception by Newton that stopped Bowyer scoring, Forest forced themselves back to equality with a goal by Hilley that he had threatened frequently to score. Twice he and Lyons exchanged passes. then Hllley spun round Oakes and lofted the ball wide of Mulhearn.

It was fair reward for the solid work of the pair of them and of Newton, 0’Kane (though he was lucky sometimes merely to catch the breeze of Lee racing past him), and Chapman. They didn’t fashion many chances. but with the kind of unruffled football that has brought them an unbeaten run of 11 games they kept City thoughtful to say the least.
ALAN DUNN WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 9TH FEBRUARY 1970