CITY 1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 0
League Division 1
25th April 1968
Attendance 32,999
Scorer Usher (43 og)
Ref D Corbett
City Mulhearn, Book, Pardoe, Doyle, Heslop, Oakes, Lee, Bell, Summerbee, Coleman, Young – sub Kennedy(unused)
Wednesday Springett, Smith, Megson, Young, Mobley, Eustace, Usher, McCalliog, Ritchie, Ford, Woodall
FROM THE PRESS BOX
Manchester City’s victory over Sheffield Wednesday last night can be summed up by the fact that the winning goal came from a defender’s deflection, from an indirect free kick.
A game where a net full of goals were there for the taking was decided when Neil Young’s indirect free kick was unluckily deflected by Brian Usher past his own goalkeeper after 43 minutes.
And two points keep the Blues tagging on to the shirt tails of Leeds and Manchester United, all three now having completed same number of games.
That said, there remained little else in a game where Wednesday can consider themselves unlucky not to have taken away a point when two facts are considered.
FACT: It was a blatant penalty when skipper Tony Book tore away the shirt of John Ritchie and hauled him down unceremoniously on the penalty spot.
FACT: City players admitted afterwards tha late David Ford corner hit the roof of the net before goalkeeper Ken Mulhearn scooped it to safety.
Yet City could have sealed everything up in the first half when Francis Lee, Tony Coleman and Colin Bell all finished tamely. They were given the freedom of the park by a Wednesday side who timidly allowed the Blues to constantly come at them, with the exception of Vic Mobley whom I rated the best player on the field.
Mobley played Mike Summerbee out of the match, and with Bell still not looking the player that took on United almost single handed last month, it was left to Coleman to do most of the donkey work.
Bell’s mobility, with his left knee still heavily bandaged, seemed restricted and only in flashes of inspiration did he really stamp his personality on a poor game.
Glyn Pardoe took the defensiv honours with George Heslop also continuing in the splendid form he suddenly struck over the Easter period.
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 26TH APRIL 1968