CITY 0 SHEFFIELD UNITED 1
League Division 1
16th March 1974
attendance 26,220
scorer Salmons(36)
Ref H Davey
City Corrigan, Barrett, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Horswill, Summerbee, Bell, Carrodus, Oakes, Tueart – sub Leman(75)
Sheff Utd Brown, Badger, Hemsley, Eddy, Colquhoun, Salmons, Woodward, Garbett, Nicholl, Currie, Field – sub Franks(77)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
FREAK GOAL MAY BE COSTLY FOR CORRIGAN
TOM JACK WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 18TH MARCH 1974
Manchester City, if thought is not too pious for a Monday, found that though there may be more rejoicing in heaven over the sinner that repents than over 90 and nine in the fold, the same joy is not always the reward of the contrite.
Fresh from their transgressions in the ugly battle with Manchester United a few days before, they were all eagerness against Sheffield United to show they were really gentlemen at heart. Even Summerbee, who has been known to be a little touchy on occasions and who was booked in the derby game, was the soul sweet, forgiving temper and patting opposition heads after accidental brushes, like a bishop conferring a blessing.
But what this loving kindness brought them was a result that was an injustice, no less painful because it sprang from a freak of a goal that tore open old wounds in their child of misfortune, goalkeeper Joe Corrigan.
Salmons from a corner in the 36th minute struck a ball that, acting on laws understandable only to fools and physicists, curled high into the net. No doubt the loft keeper misjudged its extraordinary flight, but he did not merit the cruel derisory cheers that greeted his later capable work-base notes on an otherwise uplifting afternoon and which must have sounded like the tolling of the bell again for a man newly back after early season errors had cost him his place in the side…
