BIRMINGHAM CITY 0 CITY 2
League Division 2
18th February 1989
attendance 11,707
Scorers Gleghorn(7), McNab(63)
Ref T West
City Dibble, Lake, Taggart, Gayle, Megson, Redmond, White, Gleghorn, Morley, McNab, Biggins – subs Moulden(unused), Hinchcliffe(unused)
Birmingham Thomas, Ashley, Trewick, Atkins, Overson, Roberts, Bremner, Tait, Whitton, Robinson, Wigley – subs Richmond(61), Langley(unused)
FROM THE PRESS BOX
PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS FOOTBALL PINK FINAL 18TH FEBRUARY 1989
Nigel Gleghorn’s sweetly struck seventh goal of the Season gave Manchester City a flying start as they chased their fifth successive victory at St Andrews.
But struggling Birmingham several times came agonisingly close to equalising as the Blues threatened to lose their grip in a game ruined by an uneven pitch and gale force winds.
Steve Whitton twice went close and first Andy Dibble and then Brian Gayle with a timely goal line clearance came to the rescue.
City Unchanged for the third successive game were given the boost of a goal after just seven minutes.
The Blues had made the running from the outset with Biggins testing Birmingham with a tantalising left flank cross that Thomas grabbed as White cut in through the middle.
Taggart also put Birmingham under pressure from a similar position and this time Roberts had to clear.
But struggling Birmingham on the brink of tasting Third Division football for the first time in their history, went behind as the Blues put them under pressure. The ball was played in from the left and from a position beyond the far post White dragged the ball back inside, Megson could have had a shot himself but unselfishly he played it square to Gleghorn whose sizzling right-footed effort from just inside the penalty area gave Thomas no chance.
It was Gleghorn’s, seventh goal in all competitions, again revealing his versatility as a highly adaptable player, particularly in a striking role.
City were anxious to drive home their superiority and both White and Biggins went close with equally good attempts.
Brief retaliation by Birmingham saw Wigley cross from the right and as the ball hung in the fierce breeze, White safely headed behind his own lines to ease the danger.
But this was essentially a game with City well on top and in the 17th minute they again built up impressively.
Gleghorn and Morley traded passes, White took over on the right and his cross was well covered by Thomas.
White was certainly proving a dangerman to the hard-pressed home side. This time Morley and Biggins provided the link up and when White drove his centre to the near post, Thomas again had it covered.
The Birmingham goalkeeper was rapidly emerging the busiest man on the field and in the 22nd minute he was in action at the foot of the near post to smother a hard driven low left flanking cross from McNab.
In the same minute, Morley found White once more. The ball was driven hard across the face of the Birmingham goal where the oncoming Taggart first-timed his shot over the bar.
Despite their clear superiority City had a couple of narrow escapes within an anxious two minute period.
In the 27th minute Atkins caught the City defence by surprise although Whitton clearly looked offside.
However, there was no response from either the referee of the linesman and the home No.9 found himself with only Dibble to beat. But the city goalkeeper spread himself well to block the ball which broke loose. It gave Whitton a second chance and this time he shot over the bar from 12 yards out.
In the 29th minute, Whitton had a further chance to equalise as Birmingham enjoyed their purple patch. This time he exploited an error by Taggart as the youngster, in his third League game, mis-kicked and this time Gayle cleared off the line.
With half an hour gone City returned to the offensive and Megson won a free kick when Trewick obstructed him two yards short of the home penalty area.
McNab played the free kick short, Megson put his foot on the ball and Redmond came thundering through to drive in a superbly struck attempt that Thomas turned behind with an acrobatic leap.
Half-time: Birmingham City 0 Manchester City 1
City now had the fierce wind at their back but it was Birmingham who resumed the more assertive side and when Trewick played a long ball through, Whitton was trapped narrowly offside.
At the other end, White pulled his left-flanking corner back to McNab who’s thundering drive cannoned behind off Overson’s, head.
Birmingham’s more aggressive outlook left Atkins in trouble after 56 minutes when he was given the yellow card for a foul on Morley,
Much of City’s early composure had now deserted them and there were several occasions when the defence came close to letting its stubborn guard slip.
In the 61st minute Trewick became the second player to receive the yellow card, this time after he had tangled with White, At the same time Birmingham made a substitution, Richards replacing Tait.
But the 63rd minutes saw City strengthen their grip with a spectacular goal from McNab.
White and Lake did the spadework. McNab drifted wide to the right before turning to flight in the cheekiest of attempts with the ball curling over the outstretched hands of Thomas.
And that was a third boost to McNab who had just been awarded an 18-month extension to his contract and learnt today that he will not after all have to serve a two-match suspension starting next week.
Overson became the third Birmingham player on the receiving end of a yellow card, following a 77th minute lunge that sent Biggins spinning over the touchline in need of treatment.
City remained comfortably in command and well on their way to a fifth successive League victory, and the fourth away from home since their last defeat at Stoke on Boxing Day.