Manchester City v Oldham Athletic Texaco Cup 1974/75

CITY 2 OLDHAM ATHLETIC 1

Texaco Cup

10th August 1974

attendance 13,880

scorers
City Lee, Tueart(32), Lee(89)
Oldham Groves(7)

Ref H Williams

City  MacRae, Barrett, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Oakes, Lee, Bell, Marsh, Law, Tueart – sub Daniels(65), Corrigan(unused)

Oldham – Ogden, Wood, Whittle, Mulvaney, Edwards, Bailey, McNeill, Garwood, Young, Blair, Groves – subs Buckley(65), Platt

 Francis Lee goes close

FROM THE PRESS BOX

PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 10TH AUGUST 1974
Manchester City were pushed hard by an inventive Oldham Athletic side who played enterprising football in an exciting Texaco Cup match at Maine Road this afternoon. Latics took an early lead through Alan Groves, but City hit back for Dennis Tueart to equalise in the 32nd minute.
For a spell, Oldham, Third Division champions last season were lucky to survive a fierce City onslaught in which Francis Lee missed the best chance of the game when shooting over the top from close in.
With skipper Mike Summerbee left out because he starts a two week match suspension next week the Blues were led by Marsh, a clear indication that he will lead the side for the opening games against West Ham and Spurs, both home matches.
Heavy rain before the start kept the attendance down drastically. There were only about 10,000 fans present when Marsh and Oakes linked up to send Tueart through. The left winger hit a fine drive which Ogden scrambled behind.
Garwood twice had City in trouble. But the first time he handled a cross from Whittle, and then was caught narrowly off-side as McNeill pushed through a short pass.
Doyle twice moved upfield to test Oldham, and then Lee cut inside gracefully, only to pull his shot wide of a post.
In the seventh minute, Olham, full of fight and endeavour hit back to take the lead.
From a Whittle free-kick, awarded when Booth obstructed Whittle on the left, Garwood cut in, drawing Macrae from his line. He deflected the ball past the City goalkeeper and Groves, racing in, had the easiest of tasks in scoring from close range.
Barrett, covered well to rob Young after Mulvaney had beaten Doyle as Latics still full of fight, continued to move forward with menace.
… Then Donachie overlapped on the opposite flank, but his return pass to Doyle was cleared by Bailey.
Marsh tried a third time for the Blues, this time through the middle where Bell won a corner. Though Booth got to the cross, his header was swept clear by Edwards.
… City’s pressure persisted with Edwards heading behind another Tueart cross. Then Marsh had a drive deflected with Latics desperately pulling all but Garwood back into the penalty area.
Marsh closely shadowed by three Oldham defenders, was blatantly pulled down five yards inside the penalty area, but referee Williams gave the Blues only an indirect free-kick.
Marsh pulled the ball back for Law who, finding insufficient space in which to manoeuvre, touched it on to Oakes, whose first time shot was narrowly over the bar.
Oldham were desperately unlucky not to increase their lead in the 37th minute.
With City split wide open at the back, the ever dangerous Garwood cut in to send a left foot shot in front of Macrae. Only a desperate sprint back by Donachie cleared the ball off the line.
But the enterprising Oldham were checked in the 32nd minute when City equalised.
Marsh paved the way as he glided past Bailey to pull the ball back to where Tueart and Law were waiting. Both went for the cross together but it was Tueart who got the final vital touch that turned the ball past Ogden.
Half-time: Manchester City 1 Oldham Athletic 1
… After Tueart had missed a good chance by carelessly shooting over in front of goal, Macrae went up well to take a long range effort from Whittle with the game continuing in the balance.
Oldham now seemed satisfied to settle for a draw, which would put them in the quarter finals of the competition.
But their defence was cracked a minute from time, when Lee put City into a 2-1 lead.
He burst through the middle to fire in a wicked low shot that gave Ogden no chance.
But overall it was a hollow victory for City, with Oldham a shade unfortunate to lose.