MATFORS 0 CITY 2
Friendly
27th July 1988
attendance ???
Scorers Gleghorn(30), Simpson(75)
City Dibble, White, Seagraves, Redmond, Beckford, Scott, McNab, Gleghorn Simpson, Moulden, Biggins- subs Deehan, Morley
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 28TH JULY 1988
Mark Seagraves is emerging the quality utility defender who could still save Manchester City a further transfer fortune.
He is revealing a swashbuckling form that may persuade the Blues’ team boss Mel Machin to shelve his search for additional back four reinforcements.
Seagraves will get a chance to solve Maine Road’s long-running right back problem spot once City’s pre-season injury problems are cleared. In the meantime, he is proving a top class central defender as stand in for £325,000 Brian Gayle who continues to struggle with a knee strain.
Seagraves, a £100,000 signing from Liverpool 10 months ago, had one of the most outstanding games for the Blues and was man of the match as City maintained their 100% Swedish record last night.
They survived the stiffest test so far, beating Second Division Matfors 2-0 with goals from Nigel Gleghorn and Paul Simpson.
Gleghorn, too, revealed his useful versatility as stand-in left back for Andy Hinchcliffe.
With his fee from Ipswich still to be decided by an independent tribunal next month, Gleghorn also had his best game for City who took their scoring tally from three games to 13.
Said Machin: “Seagraves was outstanding, and I was delighted at the way Gleghorn played in what was an unusual role for him.”
The signs so far are that city are building a squad with a happier blend of eager youth and mature experience, the vital ingredient that was missing from last season’s disappointing fade-out as genuine promotion contenders.
However the build-up to a new campaign is still in its infancy, with two games still to play here in Scandinavia with a possible further three when the Blues return home in the middle of next week.
It took City 30 minutes to snap the resistance of a resilient Matfors side, Gleghorn coming through powerfully to head in a left flanking Jason Beckford corner.
Seagraves, who rarely put a foot wrong throughout, was almost on target himself with a 50th minute shot superbly saved by the home goalkeeper.
And Simpson clinched victory a quarter of an hour from the end when he followed up after a John Deehan shot had been blocked.