City live to fight another night

Coventry City live to fight another night. But the suspicion of illegality surrounding Liverpool's equalising goal at Highfield Road last night will rankle with the Sky Blues long after Monday's replay at Anfield.

City had set their hearts on knocking Liverpool out of the FA Cup at the first attempt. They might well have done so with the encouragement of a superb headed goal by Neil Martin - had not Liverpool grabbed their controversial leveller only four minutes later with the match only one-third gone.

The City camp were in no doubts that Liverpool no 11 Bobby Graham was offside when he received Ian Callaghan's flick-through to go on and hit the back of the net.

It was a tragic, momentary faltering by City's defence in a match where they made suprisingly few mistakes. Graham took his chance well from what I, at an angle, thought was at least suspiciously offside, and City could perhaps be faulted by not playing to the whistle, for three or four men stopped for a second or two.

As it happened, neither side deserved to lose an absorbing tie - though City often had the edge and Liverpool keeper Tommy Lawrence had a busier night than his counterpart Bill Glazier.

Having hoisted themselves into that smart 27th minute lead when David Clements' free kick was accurately nodded through by Martin wide of Lawrence's left hand. Coventry were chastened to give the equaliser away only four minutes later in this unsatisfactory fashion.

But while I would make no claims to judge Graham's position. I would without reservation express the view that Emlyn Hughes was blatenly offside near the end when the linesman stood frozen with no signal, and even referee Vince James - who handled the match admirably in difficult circumstances - "lost" this situation.

Bill Glazier pushed Hughes' effort past the post, otherwise it would have stood as a goal and City would have had much to complain about - and justly so!

Copyright - The Coventry Evening Telegraph