STOKE CITY 1 CITY 3
League Division 1
27th December 1971
attendance 43,007
scorers
City Towers(14), Book(83), Lee(85)
Stoke Smith(90)
Ref K Burns
City Corrigan, Book, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Oakes, Summerbee, Bell, Davies, Lee, Towers – sub Hill(unused)
.
A GREAT GOAL FROM TONY TOWERS
FROM THE PRESS BOX
TONY LIFTS THE BLUES TO SUCCESS
Manchester City completely destroyed League Cup semi-finalists Stoke at the Victoria Ground yesterday in one of the most positive away victories for some time.
Their 3-1 victory was the result of a two late goal sprint, but throughout this game on a dank, miserable holiday afternoon they were the complete
masters.
Manager Malcolm Allison, aware that his side could afford to drop no more than ten points even before the Stoke game took the precaution of taking them from their families 24 hours before the game. It was a move that had outstanding results with City revealing both fluency and aggressive flair in countering Stoke who attempted to grasp the initiative by cramming the midfield.The move never had a chance of succeeding as City, from the moment Tony Towers started and finished the move that gave them a 14th minute lead, countered anything Stoke tried in the vital middle area. Towers fitted well into the pattern, attacking with conviction from behind the front line and giving the side a more positive outlook. His spirit too lifted City’s left side challenge a little too high at times with referee Ken Burns forced to hand out a 27th minute booking for Towers.
While Towers was a revelation, the superb form of Alan Oakes at the back also took the eye once more. Solid in every situation, he is the complete partner for Tommy Booth who never put a foot wrong.
City’s defensive task was eased by Stoke’s insistence of a 4-4-2 approach, but credit must still go to Willie Donachie and particularly Tony Book. It
was the second goal by Book that really turned the match City’s way, and one that was never more popurlarly acclaimed. The man who was booed by his own fans just nine days earier finished with music in his ears as the City contingent rose as one to cheer the club skipper.
Peter Gardner writing in The Manchester Evening News 28th December 1971.
Their 3-1 victory was the result of a two late goal sprint, but throughout this game on a dank, miserable holiday afternoon they were the complete
masters.
Manager Malcolm Allison, aware that his side could afford to drop no more than ten points even before the Stoke game took the precaution of taking them from their families 24 hours before the game. It was a move that had outstanding results with City revealing both fluency and aggressive flair in countering Stoke who attempted to grasp the initiative by cramming the midfield.The move never had a chance of succeeding as City, from the moment Tony Towers started and finished the move that gave them a 14th minute lead, countered anything Stoke tried in the vital middle area. Towers fitted well into the pattern, attacking with conviction from behind the front line and giving the side a more positive outlook. His spirit too lifted City’s left side challenge a little too high at times with referee Ken Burns forced to hand out a 27th minute booking for Towers.
While Towers was a revelation, the superb form of Alan Oakes at the back also took the eye once more. Solid in every situation, he is the complete partner for Tommy Booth who never put a foot wrong.
City’s defensive task was eased by Stoke’s insistence of a 4-4-2 approach, but credit must still go to Willie Donachie and particularly Tony Book. It
was the second goal by Book that really turned the match City’s way, and one that was never more popurlarly acclaimed. The man who was booed by his own fans just nine days earier finished with music in his ears as the City contingent rose as one to cheer the club skipper.
Peter Gardner writing in The Manchester Evening News 28th December 1971.