CHELSEA 1 CITY 3
League Division 2
20th September 1988
Attendance 8,858
Scorers
City I Brightwell(43 & 77),Moulden(50)
Chelsea Pates(8)
Ref John Carter
City Dibble, Seagraves, Gayle, Hinchcliffe, I Brightwell, Redmond, White, McNab, Lake, Morley, Moulden – Subs Gleghorn(unused), Biggins(unused)
Chelsea Bumstead, Clarke, Dixon, Dorigo, Durie, Hitchcock, McAllister, Nicholas, Pates, Roberts, C Wilson – Subs K Wilson(71)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
TONY STENSON WRITING IN THE DAILY MIRROR 21ST SEPTEMBER 1988
Chelsea went further down the road of no return last night.
Their seemingly endless decline made the desperate plans to Save the Bridge looked like a sad joke. It should be Save the Team now that the once-proud Blues haven’t won in six matches this season.
They were a goal ahead in eight minutes, but were finally reduced to a series of unsavoury off the ball incidents that shamed their once-famous name.
It was a night that belonged to Manchester City and young star Ian Brightwell.
He produced his own gold medal performance, almost 24 years to the week that his mum Ann Packer won the Olympic 800 metres in Tokyo.
Brightwell needed to be as spring healed as his famous parents to ride several late tackles against a Chelsea defence, that had Graham Roberts and Tony Dorigo booked.
Not that City were blameless, having Brian Gayle, Neil McNab and Paul Lake cautioned as they fought fire with fire.
Colin Pates drove Chelsea ahead in the eighth minute, but City’s attractive approach work then reaped dividends.
David White began their fight back when he outpaced Dorigo in the 43rd minute and crossed for Brightwell, under pressure from Kevin McAllister to score. Brightwell then cleverly touched on Andy Hinchcliffe’s punt forward for Paul Moulden to brilliantly lift over the advancing Kevin Hitchcock. Knobs fashion cities, third goal with a marvellous, run into the heart of Chelsea’s defence and Brightwell added, the finishing touch.