Kettering Town v Worcester City - Saturday 2nd March 1968

City went to Rockingham Road on the back of a 22 match unbeaten run that had started the previous August. Not surprisingly this run had taken City to the top of the First Division table. Kettering Town were also going well and were lying in second place just one point behind the City. The historic significance of this game was not lost on the fans as City needed to remain undefeated to equal the then Southern League record for consecutive games without defeat.

The signs were ominous from the start as the supporters coaches passed close by the yard of Cohen's of Kettering with its lines of neglected steam locomotives awaiting the breaker's torch.

The game itself was nothing special to write home about as both sides settled into defensive patterns as often happens on these occasions. And so it would have remained but for one of the most notorious incidents in the history of Worcester City Football Club. Kettering won a corner on the left side - right in front of the home supporters end of the ground. The ball came over from the corner but it was far too close to goal and the city keeper, Dave Maclaren, gratefully rose unchallenged to pluck the ball from the air. As his feet touched down a Kettering forward, Barry Daldy, charged into him at high speed pushing him several feet backwards over the goal line. Maclaren held the ball out in front of him but to no avail as the linesman immediately signalled a goal. Whether it was over the line or not is immaterial as it was the clearest foul anyone on the ground had ever seen. However, the referee saw nothing wrong and a goal was given depriving the City of that record and a share of the points. To this day, is still remembered by supporters of both sides and all are in agreement that the goal should not have stood. This comment by the Kettering Town Programme Editor in the "memorable matches" section of a programme for a game on 21st April 1982 neatly sums it up "Kettering were awarded a left wing corner. Harry Walden took it, an inswinger straight into the arms of Dave Maclaren. He stood rooted to his line as Barry Daldy ran at him and shoulder charged him into the net along, of course, with the ball. Strictly speaking it was a legal goal but referees had long ago ceased awarding such goals. Not so Mr J.A.J.Smith. He pointed to the centre spot and we all said we'd never see the like again".

Appropriately enough the biggest crowd of the season, 3,365 later witnessed City crush Kettering Town 4-1 on 1st April 1968. Kettering consolation goal was a penalty after a Kettering player had mysteriously crashed to the ground during a corner. The player was Barry Daldy and the nearest City person to the incident was City keeper Dave Maclaren!

There are copies of this programme available from time to time and it is reasonably priced as few realise the true significance of the occasion.

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