CITY 3 BIRMINGHAM 0
League Division 2
21st November 1987
attendance 22,690
Scorers Stewart(21), White(29 & 41)
Ref John Lloyd
City Nixon, Gidman, Hinchcliffe, Clements, Lake, Redmond, White, Stewart, Adcock, McNab, Simpson – subs I Brightwell(unused), Scott(unused)
Birmingham Godden, Ranson, Dicks, Roberts, Williams, Trewick, Bremner, Childs, Whitton, Rees, Wigley – subs Kennedy(45), Handysides
ANOTHER BRACE FOR DAVID WHITE
FROM THE PRESS BOX
MATCH REPORT FROM THE SUNDAY MERCURY 22ND NOVEMBER 1987
All of Birmingham’s worst fears were realised at Maine Road yesterday where runaway Manchester City scored three first half goals and then went through the motions.
The goals were almost incidental to the superiority of City’s play as, inspired by Paul Stewart, they romped happily through the weakened Blues’ defence. Yet Blues began confidently enough, quick to the tackle and pushing down the wings with some style.
Then Stewart took a hand. Capitalising on a leg injury to Julian Dicks he sped down the right hand side, cut in and lashed a rising 20 yard drive past the surprised Godden for a 21st minute goal. It was a thrilling display of skill that deserved to settle any match, which is what it did for suddenly Blues were threadbare.
Dicks struggled on at left back but manager Garry Pendrey may feel that he should have been replaced for it was the left back’s inability to move properly that was the inadvertent clause of City’s next two goals.
Gidman had been allowed a long run to force a corner in the 29th minute, and when Paul Simpson took the kick the ball sped off centre back Tommy Williams’ head and would have been an own goal but for David White touching it in from two yards.
The winger was just as near to Godden’s goal by the left hand post when Stewart flicked on another corner, this time from Neil McNab, foe a tap-in third goal after 41 minutes.
… City strolled around, displaying abundant attacking skill but without the end result that could have done “a Huddersfield” on Blues.
Tony Adcock, scorer of two hat-tricks recently, missed another inside 20 minutes while Godden saved from Simpson, Gidman and Stewart.
… City won a standing ovation for their tenth game without defeat and their record of 37 goals in those matches. They are on a promotion march.