READING 0 CITY 7
FA Cup 3rd Round Replay
31st January 1968
Attendance 25,659
Scorers Heslop(26), Summerbee(28, 49 & 79), Bell(64), Coleman(75), Young(80)
Ref E Jennings
Reading Dixon, Bacuzzi, Spiers, Meldrum, Bayliss, Yard, Foster, Allen, Collins, Smee, Harris
City Mulhearn, Book, Pardoe, Doyle, Heslop, Oakes, Lee, Bell, Summerbee, Young, Coleman – used sub Connor(79)
FROM AN ARTICLE IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 3RD MAY 1997
The Blues dominated from beginning to end, and let the goal-count tell the story of the avalanche
26 mins: Bacuzzi floored Coleman, whose superb free kick found Heslop in the middle.The former Evertonian powered a header past Dixon.
28 mins: Young found Colin Bell at the far post, and “The King” unselfishly played the ball back for Summerbee to hammer into the roof of the net.
49 mins: Reading waited in vain for an off-side decision against Mike Doyle, and his cross was easily converted by Summerbee.
64 mins: Bell at his best! The City wizard defied the attentions of four defenders before bulleting the ball past Dixon.
75 mins: Yet another great, weaving run by Bell, who spotted Coleman turning up at the right place at the right time. The ball was slid into Dixon’s goal.
79 mins: The usually tough-as-teak Coleman was forced to limp off after a challenge from Bacuzzi. Young took the free kick and there was Summerbee’s hat-trick!
80 mins: The Biscuitmen had become crumbs, and could only stand and admire Young as he raced through unchallenged to thump the ball home.
lt was a brilliant performance, and the Reading manager, Roy Bentley said afterwards: “Our only consolation is that we were beaten by a great team. I think City will go all the way to Wembley. Unfortunately, this only proved he was a better manager than a clairvoyant. Joe Mercer said “l was delighted with the way the lads played tonight. I don’t think there are many defences in the country that could have stopped them in this mood.”