George Best makes dazzling return

Press, 6 September 1976, Page 3

George Best makes dazzling return

NZPA-Reuter London George Best dipped into, his bag of tricks to score after 90 seconds in a magical return to the English soccer league on Saturday. Best, who is 29, once one of the most spectacularlygifted forwards in modern football, sought exile with the Los Angeles Aztecs in the United States after his indiscretions off the pitch blighted his career in England. But his temperamental talent was on show again on Saturday with second division Fulham against Bristol Rovers when he played his first English league match for over two years and a half, apart from three guest appearances in the fourth division last year. His swerving shot from the edge of the penalty area gave Fulham a 1-0 win—their first of the season—in a match in which Best was backed up by two other stars just back from the United States, the former England pair, Rodney Marsh and Bobby Moore. But the most spectacular match of the day was in the first division where powerful Manchester United lost 3-2 at home to Tottenham Hotspur after leading 2-0 at half-time Manchester United, previously unbeaten in the league this season, seemed to have the game sewn up when Steve Coppell and Stuart

Pearson netted twice in four minutes. But Tottenham, languishing third from bottom of the table with one point from three matches before Saturday’s programme, came storming back after the interval to snap up both points with goals from Chris Jones, lan Moores, and a substitute, John Pratt. The league champions, Liverpool, also found themselves reeling early on when Mick Ferguson headed Coventry into the lead after: only 50 seconds. But the Mersyside club are a particularly formidable force on their own Anfield ground and blazed back to win 3-1.

The Scottish premier leagu- got off to an entertaining start with a thrilling 2-2 draw between Celtic and the defending ' champions, Glasgow Rangers. Rangers were two goals up after half an hour through Derek Johnstone and Derek Parlane, but Celtic fought back bravely and Paul Wrlson struck twice to force a draw. Results were:— ENGLISH LEAGUE Division one.—Arsenal 0, Manchester City 0; Aston Villa 5, Ipswich Town 2; Bristol City 4, Sunderland i: Leeds United 2, Derby County 0; Leicester City 1, Everton 1; Liverp.ool 3, Coventry City 1; Manchester United 2, Tottenham Hotspur 3; Middlesbrough 1. Newcastle United 0; Norwich Citv 1, Birmingham City 0; Queens Park Rangers 1, West Bromwich Albion 0: Stoke City 2, West Ham United 1.

Division two—Blackburn Rovers 0. Blackpool 1; Carlisle United 1, Hull City 1; Fulham 1, Bristol Rovers 0; Hereford United 3, Burnley 0; Luton Town 1, Nottingham Forest 1; Millwall 3, Chelsea 0; Notts County 0, Bolton I; Oldham Athletic 3. Cardiff City 2: Orient 2, Plymouth Argyle 2; Southampton 1, Sheffield United 1; Wolverhampton Wanderers 3, Chariton Athletic 0.

Division three.—Brighton and Hove Albion 3, Rotherham United 1; Bury 2, Tranmere Rovers 1; Chesterfield 0, Swindon Town 1; Crystal Palace 1, Chester 2: Gillingham 1, Northampton Town 1; Lincoln City 2. Port Vale 0; Mansfield Town 3, Grimsby Town 0; Oxford United 2, Preston North End 2; Peterborough United 3, York City 0; Reading 2, Walsall 1; Sheffield Wednesday 1. Portsmouth 1: Wrexham 1, Shrewsbury Town 0. Division four—Brentford 2, Doncaster Rovers 2; Cambridge United 4, Watford 0; Colchester United 3, Exeter City 1; Halifax Town 0. Rochdale 0; Hartlepool 0. Bournemouth 1; Newport County 1. Huddersfield Town 1; Swansea City 2, Barnsley 1. SCOTTISH LEAGUE Premier division —Aberdeen 2, Hearts 2; Celtic 2, Rangers 2; Hibernian 1. Dundee United 2: Kilmarnock 1, Motherwell 1: Partick Thistle 0. Ayr United 2. Division one.—Clydebank 3, Arbroath 0; Dundee 2. Dumbarton 1: Hamilton Academicals 3. St Johnstone 2: Montrose 0. Morton 0: Queen of the South 2. Airdrieonians 2; Raith Rovers 1, Falkirk 1; St Mirren 1, East Fife 1 Division two.—Albion Rovers 1, Clyde 4; Berwick Rangers 0, Cowdenbeath 0; Dunfermline Athletic 1, Brechin City 1; East Stirling 2. Alloa 2; Forfar Athletic 0, Meadowbank Thistle 0; Queens Park 1, Stranraer 3: Stenhousemuir 0. Stirling Albion 2. NORTHERN IRISH LEAGUE Ulster Cup.—Ballymena United 0, Glenavon 2; Bangor 4, CliftonVille 2; Crusaders 2, Linfield 3; Glentoran 5. Distillery 2; Larne 1. Ards 1; Portadown 2. Coleraine 2.