Manchester City v Leeds United 1981/82

CITY 4 LEEDS UNITED 0

League Division 1

23rd September 1981

Attendance 35,077

Scorers Tueart(33 & 60), Reeves(42 & 85)

Ref A Hamill

City Corrigan, Ranson, McDonald, Reid, Power, Caton, Tueart, Gow, Francis, Hutchison, Reeves – sub O’Neill(61)

Leeds Lukic, Greenhoff, E Gray, Flynn, F Gray, Cherry, Harris, Hird, Connor, Stevenson, Barnes – sub used Hamson

John Bond had privately feared that Leeds would do everything in their power to stifle the game, as they had done the previous season.
To some extent, this is what happened. “I didn’t find their mood that much better,” said the forthright City manager, “and I continue to find it a style that’s not good for football :”
There were wholesale changes in the City team following a 0-3 drubbing at Birmingham City four days earlier – changes that proved to be just right for the occasion. In the Leeds line-up, there was a familiar face who had delighted City fans on many occasions … Peter Barnes.
The Blues were blessed with class and quality. There were the million-pound players, Kevin Reeves and Trevor Francis, plus others, like Dennis Tueart, for whom some managers would gladly have shelled out a seven-digit sum.
Both the “expensive” players were involved in the first goal after 33 minutes. Bobby McDonald sent a long clearance downfeld, and when the ball was headed on by Reeves, Francis judged the situation perfectly, sliding in past Trevor Cherry and Eddie Gray to set up Tueart to score from close range.
This brought a feeling of relief to John Bond. “Once we had prised them open, I never felt we were going to be in danger,” he said later.
The second goal, also in the first half, came from the talented Reeves. It was just three minutes before the break and Kevin was the recipient of a ball worked to him by McDonald and fellow Scot, Tommy Hutchison. A header at the far post was directed past John Lukic, and the Blues were two in front.
However, the eventual victory was tinged with worry as two injury blows rocked City during the second half. First of all, Paul Power, who had had a fine game in midfield, aggravated an ankle ligaments problem which had already caused him to miss two games.
And while he was receiving treatment, Francis was caught up in a collision with Lukic, one which led to the Blues increasing their lead and establishing what seemed to be an unassailable scoreline.
Reeves fed McDonald, who immediately crossed and found Francis in the goalmouth. Trevor collided with the tall `keeper as the ball was knocked away, but it was only as far as Tueart, who clipped it back into the net.
For Power the game was over, summer signing Martin O’Neill replacing him. Francis, meanwhile, left the action for treatment, then returned, only to limp off seven minutes later. City were down to ten men.
What of the City defence while all this was going on? “Ray Ranson had his best game for a long time,” was Bond’s opinion. “Both he and McDonald did a powerful job.” The manager was equally complimentary about Nicky Reid and Tommy Caton.
In fact, the defence did so well that the attack had time later to add a fourth goal in the 85th minute. Hutchison was the provider with an excellent cross to find Reeves unmarked in acres of space, and a header into the bottom corner did the trick.
ADAPTED FROM AN ARTICLE IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 21ST OCTOBER 1995

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