CITY 4 ROCHDALE 0
League Cup 2nd Round
6th September 1972
attendance 17,222
scorer Lee(5), Marsh(45 & ?), Bell(90)
Ref K Wynn
City Corrigan, Book, Donachie, Bell, Booth, Towers, Summerbee, Marsh, Davies, Jeffries, Lee – sub Oakes(73)
Rochdale Morritt, Smith, Renwick, Gowans, Blant, Kinsella, Downes, Darling, Howarth, Jenkins, Bebbington – sub Marsh(37)
FRANCIS LEE AND RODNEY MARSH SCORE CITY’S FIRST TWO GOALS
THIS MARSH EFFORT WAS RULED OFFSIDE
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 7TH SEPTEMBER 1972
Rochdale’s dream of sharing the League Cup glory with Stockport and Chester was shattered in the 5th minute of a tie that eventually became a second round cakewalk for Manchester City.
Francis Lee restored after a one game exile to seek his lost form, revealed that former urgency as he pounced on an error by Dick Renwick to give City the lead they were never in danger of surrendering.
Yet it might have been different when, as early as the first 60 seconds, Jenkins drove in from a short free kick, only to see his brave effort deflected inches wide of a post with Joe Corrigan moving the wrong way.
That was the start and finish of the Third Division side’s attempt to join the local giant-killers who have set the competition alight this season.
Rodney Marsh, twice, and Colin Bell piled on the agony for Rochdale, who were tragically handicapped when Bobby Downes was carried off with a broken leg following a clash with Marsh.
They had skipper Colin Blant booked for a third bad tackle on Wyn Davies and at the end were a well-beaten side, bowing gracefully to the greater experience and class of City.
Mike Summerbee was once more City’s most effective forward, and Marsh took the opportunity to display his range of skills although they would be more welcome if utilised against the Arsenals, Liverpools and Leeds of football.
Davies constantly troubled Dale in the air but Bell, still at times struggled to get his game right, although the way he took the fourth goal was a reminder that a return to form might not be too far away.
Tony Towers, later replaced by Alan Oakes whose entry received one of the biggest ovations of the night, used the ball superbly, and Derek Jeffries and Tommy Booth were rarely troubled at the back…
