QUEENS PARK RANGERS 1 CITY 3
League Division 1
11th April 1990
Attendance 8,437
Scorers
City Allen(5), Hendry(83), Ward(86)
QPR Wegerle(25)
Ref Martin Bodenham
City Dibble, Harper, Lake, Reid, Hendry, Redmond, White, Ward, Allen, Quinn, Megson – used Sub I Brightwell – Subs Heath(71), I Brightwell(88)
QPR Seaman, Bardsley, Sansom, Parker, Law, Maddix, Wilkins, Barker, Wegerle, Clarke, Sinton – Subs Channing, Falco(unused)
FROM AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE CITY PROGRAMME 19TH APRIL 1997
Mel Machin had left Maine Road and Howard Kendall had arrived, strengthening the team with the signings of Peter Reid, Alan Harper, Mark Ward and Niall Quinn. This was in addition to Colin Hendry, who had been bought while Machin was still in charge.
It had been a season fraught with disappointment, and the day they played Rangers, they were fourth from bottom in the League table, three points behind fellow strugglers Manchester United.
However, they were unbeaten in their last five matches and so must have felt confident that they would continue the improvement.
Clive Allen opened the scoring after only five minutes. David White provided a centre which floated off course and landed at the feet of Andy Sinton, but he sliced his clearance and the ball went to Allen, who promptly buried it past Seaman.
A little later, the Blues had a glorious chance to go two goals in front, but this time fortune favoured Rangers.
After a long clearance from Andy Dibble, Allen pulled the ball back to Mark Ward, who powered in a shot which Seaman could only parry to Quinn. The lrishman’s effort hit a post and Ward, who was following up, fired just wide.
Seaman made three tremendous saves to keep his side in the game and suddenly, midway through the first half, the home club were on level terms. Full back David Bardsley swung over the ball and Roy Wegerle swiftly moved forward to plant it past Dibble.
lt was big-hearted Hendry who restored the Blues’ lead after 83 minutes, overcoming a gash in the face which required stitches; then, a minute later, Gary Megson and Rangers’ Paul Parker were dismissed by referee Martin Bodenham.
There had been several yellow cards in the game, and Mr Bodenham later booked City’s man of the match, Peter Reid, but this was soon forgotten when Ward scored his third goal in consecutive games to hand the Blues an impressive victory.
City’s position looked a lot healthier, but manager Kendall remained cautious. He said: “l will not accept that we are safe until it is
mathematically impossible to go down.”…