Football League Division One
Team: Parkes, Shanks, Gillard, Hollins, McLintock, Webb, Thomas, Francis, Masson, Bowles, Givens
Sub: Leach
Attendance: 30,134
Rangers travelled to St. James’ Park on 3rd April 1976. Tony Hardisty filed the following match report:
‘Dave Sexton hardly needed to speak. His broad smile after seeing Stan Bowles steal that extra point with only 19 seconds left said it all.
“We must have a very good chance of winning the title now,” admitted this quiet, dignified and very happy manager.
“It’s nice to know you only have one away match left, at Norwich,” he added. “We have Middlesbrough, Arsenal and Leeds to play at home, and that’s not an easy run-in.”
“But having settled for a draw here it was tremendous to snatch the winner so late on. Mind you, we had wasted quite a few chances – and I wasn’t too happy about that aspect of our game.”
Bowles, who had hit the crossbar from six yards, and cleared it from ten, was in no mood for indecision. “We can win the title now,” he told me.
So now Rangers have a better than average chance of winning the title – but they really will have to take a bigger percentage of the chances they created so smoothly.
Before Alan Gowling had headed his 29th goal of the season in 16 minutes, Don Givens had shot over with only Mike Mahoney to beat, and two minutes after Gowling’s goal, Bowles missed the first of his gilt-edged chances.
But Frank McLintock’s firm header from a Dave Thomas corner (20mins) set Rangers up for a victory their midfield authority deserved, only for Givens to squander another good chance just before the interval.
For ten minutes after the restart, Rangers were brilliant with John Hollins splitting Newcastle wide open.
Dave Thomas rolling the ball perfectly for Bowles who scooped it over when it seemed easier to score.
Newcastle, indifferent at the back and anonymous in midfield, still managed to trouble Rangers with balls hit long and hard. Phil Parkes did well to turn away hot-shots from Micky Burns and Malcolm Macdonald.
Not-so-Supermac hit one wild and wide after being put through by Tommy Craig and Givens could do no better than shoot straight at Mahoney from a clinical feed by Bowles with five minutes left.
But Bowles finally had the last laugh – and I would not bet against Rangers landing the championship now.
“The Easter programme will sort it out. It usually does,” says Sexton.’
This win left Rangers two points above Liverpool but had played a game more.
Steve Russell