Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City 1971/72

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 CITY 1

League Division 1

8th January 1972

attendance 36,470

scorers

City Davies(77)

Spurs Peters(6)

Ref G Hill

City Corrigan, Book, Donachie, Doyle, Booth, Oakes, Summerbee, Bell, Davies, Lee, Towers - Sub Henson(unused)

Spurs Jennings, Evans, Want, Coates, England, Beal, Gilzean, Perryman, Chivers, Peters, Neighbour - used sub Pearce

FROM THE PRESS BOX

PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS FOOTBALL PINK FINAL Martin Peters scored a spectacular sixth minute goal to give Spurs the lead in another fine match against Manchester City at White Hart Lane this afternoon. However it was a goal right against the run of play, Peters completely surprised goalkeeper Joe Corrigan with a scissors kick after a long throw by Martin Chivers had been headed on by Jimmy Neighbour. Tottenham had never had a look in up to that point. But later, only some fine saves by Corrigan kept out other efforts from Alan Gilzean and Martin Chivers. City had their moments, though, with Mike Summerbee hitting a post before Wyn Davies equalised in the 67th minute. Lee was sent sprawling when a corden of four Spurs defenders converged on him as he moved on to a free kick from Book. City's early pressure on the heavily sanded pitch continued, with Book again swinging the ball goalwards from a free kick after Summerbee had been fouled out on the right. This time Davies out-jumped England to head the ball just wide. Another sprint by Lee kept Spurs at full stretch, Evans recovered to push the ball back to Jennings as Lee turned to try to get it into the middle. Lee was pulled down from behind by Beal, a yard outside the penalty area. Bell's short free kick enabled Lee to chip the ball into the middle, where Summerbee aimed straight at Jennings.

But in their first serious raid, Spurs shot into a sixth minute lead, right against the run of play. A long throw-in from the left by Chivers was headed on by Neighbour and Peters on the edge of the six yard area tried a spectacular overhead kick. It took Corrigan completely by surprise and the ball went into the net just inside the post. City fought back, with Summerbee sending in a cross that England headed out from the near post and then, when Donachie played the ball back to the unmarked Summerbee on the right, the winger's first time shot smacked the post and bounced behind. There was another scare for City after 15 minutes when, from a right wing corner, the ball was cleared out to Perryman. He pushed a sharp pass through to Gilzean, who saw his chance and shot. The ball was palmed down by Corrigan. Hesitation by Donachie almost got the Blues into more trouble. This time, Chivers and Gilzean both tried shots, but again Corrigan came out to smother the ball. Spurs almost produced a replica of their first goal when Chivers saw his long throw headed on by England, Peters narrowly failed to connect, and again attempted an overhead kick. A fine run by Book put City back on the attack at a stage when Spurs looked like getting on top. As he raced past Beal, he pulled the ball back for Towers to volley a shot which bounced back off England. Then Bell drove in another shot which hit the side netting. The conditions were no help to City, particularly in the 31st minute, when the ball stuck in the goalmouth mud as Lee went in for the kill, following good work by Bell and Summerbee.

 ... Lee appealed for a penalty when his cross shot was blocked by Beal, but referee Hill, doing his utmost to cool things down, firmly rejected it. That hectic spell of activity in the Spurs goalmouth ended when Coates brought the ball clear. The outcome could have been another Spurs' goal, as Gilzean touched it on, leaving Chivers completely in the clear. But as Corrigan rushed from his line the England centre forward snatched at his shot, hitting the ball fractionally over the crossbar. Neighbour followed up with a brilliant dribble, rounding three City defenders before Oakes pulled him up. When the Blues resumed their desperate search for the equaliser, Davies had a shot blocked, a drive by Bell was deflected into the side netting, and a chip from Lee soared over the bar. And in the 77th minute they finally got the break for which they had worked so hard. Davies forced the ball in after it had bobbed about the Spurs' penalty area, with first Towers and then Lee having shots charged down. The ball even rebounded goalwards off England before Davies, having at last shaken off the shadow his Welsh international colleague had cast over him, forced the ball in. Pearce, who had replaced Gilzean, won a corner at the expense of Oakes, but it was Oakes who got it away enabling Lee to make a long run that ended with Jennings picking the ball off his toes as Lee came in from the left...