FREDRIKSTAD 0 CITY 5
Friendly
3rd August 1978
attendance ???
scorers Kidd(7, 22, 25 & 29), Donachie(80)
City Corrigan, Clements, Donachie, Power, Futcher, Watson, Owen, Coughlin, Henry, Kidd, Hartford – subs Bell, Booth, Palmer, Keegan, Ranson
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 4TH AUGUST 1978
Hot Shot Brian Kidd is already setting a blistering pace in his bid to make it a hat-trick of seasons as Manchester City’s leading marksman.
He hit four of the five scored by the Blues as they roared to a comfortable victory in the second game of the European build-up tour here last night.
It was a work out in stark contrast to Tuesday’s opening game in Stockholm when the Blues were held 1-1 by the fiercely competitive Djurgarden side.
Fredrikstad, at the half-way stage of their League programme, could not match the Blues in either pace or skill.
Hero of the night was undoubtedly Kidd, who struck four times in a devastating 22 minute first half burst taking his total to five in two games so far.
There was no holding City’s leading scorer of the last two seasons, surely at £100,000 he represents one of the bargains of all times, as he gave a lesson in lethal finishing that must have almost roken the heart of the home side’s 16 year old schoolboy goalkeeper Frode Hansen, who was playing in his first senior game.
But the fact that they were facing a raw youngster still did not make it all that easy for City as Kidd pointed out when he said: “You have still got to create, and then take the chances, no matter what grade of football you are playing. In this game you just can’t afford to be complacent against anyone.”
In the first half goal fiesta, when City were only Pwter Barnes and Mike Channon short of full strength, there were signs of a neat blend that augers well for the new season.
And it was particularly pleasing to see Paul Futcher, the Blues’ £350,000 summer newcomer, sharing in the build-up to two of Kidd’s goals.
In the second half manager Tony Book brought on Ray Ranson, his first taste of senior football, plus Tommy Booth, Colin Bell, Ged Keegan and Roger Palmer, taking off Kidd, Futcher, Dave Watson and Paul Power.
At the same time Fredrikstad came more into the game, giving Joe Corrigan the chance to show his international class in front of City’s vast army of Norwegian fans, many of whom were having their first sight of their favourites.
The goals did not flow as fast and free as the first half, but Scottish international full back Willie Donachie did get back into the scoring act 10 minutes from the end to give City a handsome and easy victory Book described as: “An excellent workout that provided us with the opportunity to get into the habit of finding the back of the net.”