CITY 2 WALSALL 2
League Division 2
3rd September 1988
Attendance 17,104
Scorers
City McNab(57 pen), Morley(65)
Walsall Naughton(18 & 62)
Ref K Redfern
City Dibble, Seagraves, Gayle, Hinchcliffe, I Brightwell, Redmond, Lake, McNab, Gleghorn, Morley, Varadi – subs White(78), Moulden(85)
Walsall Barber, Dornan, M Taylor, Shakespeare, Forbes, Hart, Pritchard, Goodwin, A Taylor, Christie, Naughton – subs Hawker(13), Marsh
NEIL MCNAB CONVERTS HIS PENALTY
TREVOR MORLEY MAKES IT 2-2
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS FOOTBALL PINK FINAL 3RD SEPTEMBER 1988
Manchester City’s disastrous season took a further turn for the worse when Willie Naughton headed Walsall into an 18th minute lead at Maine Road today.
It was no more than the promoted Midlanders deserved for they, for long periods, looked the better organised and more disciplined side.
City, seeking their first point of the campaign following two successive defeats, were frustrated when Paul Lake had a goal disallowed.
City’s disastrous start to the season was reflected at the gate with a poor 15,000 crowd building.
… The game’s first genuine chance came the way of McNab with City’s tigerish little Scot bursting through the middle only to finish with a shot that curled over the bar.
… And in the 18th minute… Shakespeare curled the ball in tantalisingly to the near post while Naughton soared majestically to glide in a splendid header.
Half-time: Manchester City 0 Walsall 1.
… The one spot of enterprise came when Hinchciffe determinedly crossed from the left and Brightwell’s far post header was just kept out by Barber.
But City were dramatically thrown a lifeline with a 57th minute penalty awarded when Forbes pulled down Morley. McNab this time made no mistake from the spot and the Blues were back in business.
It was not to be, Gayle’s anguished spell was heightened as his careless back-pass fell at the feet of Naughton, who danced round Dibble to stroke in his second goal and restore Walsall’s lead after 62 minutes.
In the 65th minute the Blues again boldly bounced back to equalise, Morley getting up well to head in after Brightwell had nudged back a McNab cross into the middle…
