CITY 0 EVERTON 0
League Division 1
2nd March 1983
Attendance 22,253
Ref Trelford Mills
City Corrigan, Ranson, McDonald, Reid, Bond, Caton, Tueart, Reeves, Baker, Hartford, Bodak – Sub Cross(unused)
Everton Arnold, Stevens, Bailey, Ratcliffe, Higgins, Richardson, Johnson, King, Sharp, Heath, Sheedy – Sub Irvine
An alert performance by goalkeeper Jim Arnold in the early stages kept City at bay from three threatening corner kicks but as soon as Graham Baker, not long returned from an injury lay-off, began to fade from the action so it was that Everton took over.
The visitors ran the match in the run up to half-time and Graham Sharp should have done better with a shooting chance inside the City area which he sent flashing over the top. Andy King was at point blank range when he headed into Joe Corrigans arms, the City ‘keeper then saving well from Kevin Sheedy . The ‘keeper also tipped over the bar a full blooded drive from King 10 yards out.
Although Everton again called the tune upon the restart the sad thing to emerge from the match was that no player was capable of stamping class or personality on the events. There were far too many misplaced passes and while commitment and endeavour could not be faulted in City’s ranks there was little else to recommend the Blues.
Arnold scooped the ball from Baker’s head in the 70th minute but the best chances fell to Everton and when Corrigan was unable to hold one of Sheedy’s stinging drives Johnson, following up, could only drive the loose ball against McDonald stood on the goaI line.
Corrigan made ample amends with a thrilling save from Sheedy in the last minute, the powerful left-footer being from a free kick.
There was an aggressive defensive display from Kevin Bond ably supported by Tommy Caton and flashes of activity from Kevin Reeves up front. But there was little else. Best efforts came from a back-header by Bond, a close in attempt by Dennis Tueart and a diving header from Reeves. Free transfer signing Peter Bodak again just looked like what his valuation was and City’s left flank was mainly inactive and ineffective. “At least it was encouraging to take a point and even more important to keep a clean sheet” said john Benson in his fifth week of City management.
FROM AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 26TH OCTOBER 1985