CITY 1 BLACKBURN ROVERS 0
League Division 2
1st October 1988
Attendance 22,111
Scorer Biggins(57)
Ref J Penrose
City Dibble, Seagraves, Gayle, Hinchcliffe, Biggins, Redmond, White, McNab, Lake, Morley, Moulden – subs Simpson(unused), Bradshaw(unused)
Blackburn Gennoe, Atkins, Millar, Finnigan, Hendry, Mall, Miller, Reid, Gayle, Garner, Sellars – subs Ainscow(37), Curry(73)
WAYNE BIGGINS SCORES THE ONLY GOAL OF THE GAME
FROM THE PRESS BOX
MICHAEL HENDERSON WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 3RD OCTOBER 1988
This is an important year for Manchester City. Should they fail to win promotion from the bloated Second Division, their talented young players will go elsewhere and even Peter Swales, that Pontius Pilate among chairmen, might not survive the attendant problems that would bring.
So a victory over Blackburn Rovers, unbeaten leaders of the division with three away wins out of three before the game, ought to have brought blessed relief. particularly as City have now moved into a menacing position by winning their last four League games.
Relief also because Rovers beat City home and away last season. But there was little evidence that City will throw off the shackles of self-imposed servitude. Maine Road greeted the result with rapture; they will cheer any old thing these days.
Unless my ears deceived me people were talking afterwards about an “eventful” game. Well. a jumble sale is sometimes eventful but it rarely uncovers beauty. What am I bid for Trevor Morley and Mark Seagraves? About 2/6d, going by their dreadful performances on Saturday.
When City had a decent side, those positions were filled by Tony Book and Alan Oakes. Oh happy days. One wonders if Book, now the reserve team coach, scratches his grey hairs as he ponders on the shock of the new?
Happily, there is always Lake, a two-footed player of touch and balance now restored to midfield. he badly needs Brightwell beside him to wave the wand of youth. McNab is willing but one-dimensional. There was virtually nothing for Moulden and Biggins to chew
on in the box. White, a winger of high pace and nose for goal, fared no better.
The goal was a shocker. Hendry and Mall might each have picked off Redmond’s downfield punt. Instead Biggins challenged successfully and, as the ball ran tree, poked it in from eight yards. Blackburn protested about Biggins’ use of a hand but Mr Penrose, an obtrusive referee, let it stand.
